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Environmental Sickness: What Hurts The Most?

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Relationship Stress & Emotional Pain Often Eclipse The Physical Suffering

By Cesar Collado

As I rolled out the Sickhouses.com website to my network of building science experts, Dr. Joe Spurgeon, a longtime heavyweight and well published thought leader on industrial hygiene, environmental illness expert, diagnostic innovator, and all-around source of wisdom in the environmental illness space gave me a very important reminder.   I had asked the experts if there were any topics, they would like me to research and write about.   He immediately reminded me that the impact of relationship dynamics is so significant, it warranted that I focus early on these issues in my writing. I thought there was great wisdom on discussing “what hurts the most?”

I cannot disagree.  In almost every conversation I have with the experts and patients, the impact on the family, relationships, and emotional toll on the family is always mentioned.  Family members often complain when the topic of financing the repairs to home and medical expenses. The emotional toll on the patient and family is often the most painful consequence of the illness.  In fact, when I speak with building science professionals and product companies working in the mold or environmental illsick housesness space, empathy is a key attribute I look for and admire.  I have even helped sick patients write descriptive letter explanations to spouses and families explaining the science and medicine behind their illness.  To some, the mental toll of brain fog and other cognitive issues make a focused and balanced discussions almost impossible.  This happens often.  I always recommend communicating in writing using articles and explicit letters if they cannot orally  frame the complex issue clearly.

Patients with debilitating symptoms from the mold or chemical toxins describe that the physical pain takes a back seat to family dynamics when they are describing the illness to me.  Mold sufferers often vividly share the resentment and anger that can build over time with family members who live in the home.  Why is this an issue with environmental illness?  The problem lies in the framing of the problem facing the family.  Not only is medical help needed, but significant changes in family behaviors and significant home investments often follow.  Other issues such as diet and activities also impact the entire family.  When a home is newly built, they cannot understand that New Homes Have As Many Problems As Old Ones.

Some people are genetically  susceptible to mold illness. Statistically, approximately one in four have the HDL-RA genetic defect associated with mold sensitivity.  The odds that any individual will get sick are usually much smaller because an intense exposure or long-time slow exposure is required for this to occur.  The core of the issue is that other members in the same household do not develop the same illness while being exposed to the same allergens or toxins. Exposure to chemical toxins, heavy metals, or gases will impact everyone the same.  Lack of empathy, belief, or dismissal of the severe symptoms can be attributed to self centeredness, where some people do not recognize pain beyond their woes experience.  Resentments can also grow as a result of the financial impact to the family or the loss of a second income supporting the home.  The list goes on.

Complex Diagnosis Amongst Many Chronic Illnesses

Experiences during the path to a diagnosis is complicated for all as many symptoms of environmental illness mimic several other chronic diseases.    Some people receive a “diagnosis of exclusion” meaning that doctors will rule out disease candidates one at a time.  Examples of diagnosis of exclusion include major depressive disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, migraines and other neurological or cognitive dysfunction. This means that the patient may be getting different diagnosis from different medical specialties, and multiple treatment regimens will be endured serially over a long period of time.  It can take years to decades for patients to be finally be diagnosed,  air pollutants resolved and relief is found when the home issues are addressed and there is time to heal.

sick houses

Unfortunately, the burden of considering environmental illness  falls   on families and can cause significant insecurity due to a lost second income, medical expenses, and repairs or remediation expenses. Financial issues are a common cause for couples to have relationship problems. Forced budgeting, credit card debt, prioritization, and sacrifice is required for most families living in this country.  Unfortunately, a family’s emotional wellbeing during a health crisis can take the debilitating symptoms to an entirely new level of suffering.  Family tension coupled with financial insecurity added to chronic illness is overwhelming for the entire family, and, guilt can be consuming for any parent who might not be unable to remain active or spend time with a spouse or children.

Here are a few vivid examples from discussions with patients, physicians, and environmental illness professionals over the past several years that illustrate severity and impact environmental illness has on a family.sick houses

To summarize, once an individual person reaches their “Toxic Load”, the person can become ultrasensitive and symptomatic after every environmental or chemical exposure.  It is also not uncommon for patients to also become “Chemically Sensitive”.Perfumes, fragrances, cleaning products, or the off gassing of chemical coatings such as flame retardants on furniture and new furnishings can contribute to debilitating symptoms and illness. This makes a proper diagnosisand treatment for patients and homes more complicated, often expensive, and time consuming.

Finding a “Safe” Place

Most physicians recommend moving temporarily to a safe place.   Moving to a completely different location away from their current home for a period of time is a very simple and telling diagnostic solution.  It is always helpful to address the situation with as many facts as possible.  I recommend  ImmumoLytics mold test plates to test the home.  ImmunoLytics provides the most comprehensive mold testing kit with clear instructions and the ability to send the mold testing plates to their lab for analysis.  You can just do a visual test or send them in for results.  The result package provides lots of information about the findings. Environmental professionals usually use a qPCR  test which is much more precise, but significantly more expensive.  Petri dishes are still a Gold Standard used in research labs everywhere, so having the knowledge of a positive mold test early in the process can streamline medical treatment and home repair to minimize the human costs.

If the patient feels better away from their homes, it becomes more probable  and understandable that the homes may be the cause. Unfortunately, patients have given me numerous examples were staying with relatives or friends while chronically ill may only work for a finite period.  One patient vividly described how her stay with her sister became “imposing” and she was told that she outwore her welcome.  It is difficult to be a guest in someone else’s home while being severely ill and may require special requests regarding behaviors and exposure in the home.  As a result, she described having to make a hasty and poor decision to move back to her home to pacify her sister and brother-in-law who didn’t understand the critical nature of her situation.  They felt imposed and the relationship became “strained”.

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Hotels, especially the moderate priced hotels, are not a good alternative!  Hotel rooms often have severe mold problems due to the construction, design, inexpensive building materials, furnishings, and the fluctuating temperatures in rooms with occupant-controlled A/C.  Because many hotel chains, including premium properties continue to use vinyl wallpaper that doesn’t breathe, the result is the trapping of moisture between the wallpaper and drywall. Hotels can be very moldy places.

Finding Physicians Who Clearly Understand

I have found that many of the Medical Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors, and integrative medicine specialists, who treat environmental illness, have experienced environmental illness in their families and trudged through the diagnosis, treatment , and home solution with the help of other physicians and professionals. In my opinion, these physicians, who either had environmental illness or who had a family member who suffered, seem to be the most empathetic and become very passionate practitioners of Environmental Medicine. I often listen to podcasts on environmental illness while at the gym. It is extremely common to hear many expert’s personal stories that fit this description.  I recommend ‘Googling’ environmental medicine in your city or zip-code to shorten your search.  Feel free to call the practice to ask questions.  These practices spend much more time (often an hour) per patient visit because the patient history and lifestyle is essential to finding clues that the home may be the cause.  Asking a patient if the home has experienced water damage, leaks, or flooding can be critical to consider the home as the cause.

Environmental Illness Has Resulted in Many Divorces

Several professionals have shared that environmental illness leading to divorce is not an uncommon situation they witness with their customers. I personally know a retired physician (MD) who had successfully treated sick housesenvironmental illness for decades. The physician described that her debilitating symptoms were caused by a newly built, custom, “dream” home. Over time, she became very ill.  Once the physician/patient identified that it was their home causing the illness, the physician proactively moved out of the home and relocated to a safe place to get well. Once wellness was achieved, her husband made it clear that he was not leaving their “dream home” that they had built with pride and a substantial investment. In this case, one spouse chose the home over the marriage. Alternatively, the other spouse chose wellness over the marriage. Unfortunately, divorce was the end solution.

The Long, Slow Decision

I have exchanged numerous email correspondences when patients have reached out to me.  We eventually speak on the phone where they can ask for some personal advice regarding mold illness.  In some cases, the patients had already given up trying to convince their spouses to make changes to improve their health situation.  Options to move to a new house or spend a substantial amount of money to remediate and fix the home may never be seriously considered.

Sick patients describe an unending conversation that usually ends in conflict.  Significant resentments are seeded and watered.  The topic of mold will continue to be trigger for arguments.  In particular, the spouse that is not affected by mold and believes mold health treatment and home remediation seem to be too significant of expense.  Sometimes, a home may require remediation measures across the structure, crawlspace/basement, HVAC, and outdoor water management, all of which can add up to very high costs.   Unfortunately, addressing mold without eliminating the cause of the moisture problem usually results in short lived results.

Sometimes patients in this predicament can be suffering for years, or in some cases, decades. In one particular case discussed , a patient had seen numerous (“double digits”) physicians over many years with no success.  They had undergone numerous regimens of medicines with no success.  Of course, they also experience the adverse events that come with the medications. Antidepressant and anticonvulsant medicine are often used and can have adverse effects that may be as bad as the disease symptoms.    In this case, it took over a decade of searching and multiple medication regimens to come to a conclusion that would lead to wellness.  This change occurred when they finally realized that their only option left was to fully remediate the home and make an investment in their environment.

I once accompanied a Bau-Biologist on an inspection where the mother, a homemaker was environmentally ill. She was also home schooling three children.  She described several common events where she had memory loss while running errands and suffered crippling headaches. She would get lost in her own neighborhood. She had also been falling behind with her children’s studies.  The husband then showed up late to the inspection, took over, and assured us that he will DIY all issues with the home.  Without antagonizing  the husband, it became clear that his perception of the weight of the issue was very different than his wives. I never found out what inevitably happened in this particular case.

Identifying and verifying the issues with the home can keep the focus away from emotional discussion debating the illness versus one based on facts and solutions. Remembering the situations where the patients (and families) find wellness and treatment is successful, it is rewarding to everyone involved.

College Dorms Almost Kill a Child

Just a couple of years ago, I was attending an evening dinner event at a conference  There, I entered into a friendly conversation with the daughter of my team member. While describing the environmental illness “space” where I focus my work, the daughter insisted I sit down with her and both of her parents. The parents went from initially being very polite to becoming very captive in the discussion.

They went on to describe the 2-year journey they recently completed.  They described how their son became extremely sick while staying in college dorms.  These dorms were inside a very prestigious university with traditional gothic stone structures built in the early 1900s. The son was sent to a variety of physician specialties at the school, a top medical institution.  The parents lived in NY and had the ability to pursue every possible medical solution. The son had to endure countless endoscopies, colonoscopies, medicine regimens (expensive biologics), CTs, and MRIs, without any success. After the first year of seeking wellness through new treatments, the parents had the opportunity to visit his small, shared, dorm room. The mother immediately smelled the mold and brought in an expert to further investigate. They had the dorm room tested and identified the specific toxic mold species that was making him ill.

Their immediate solution was to immediately move their son out of the dorms and find him an apartment without mold.  He eventually had to drop out of school and move home to seek wellness because school was not viable with the debilitating symptoms.  After a very long time (over a year) and the help of an integrative medicine physician who provided a strict diet and nutritional supplements, their son finally got better. Both parents then described in detail all of the treatment modalities and costs they incurred during the 2-year ordeal. While they had adequate financial security and insurance to cover medical costs, the family still paid for coinsurance costs and expensive medication copays (>$3K/mo.), and an extra year and a half of college tuition and costs (>$75K).

The mother described her primary frustration was driven by the misery her son endured and his inability to enjoy the “college years.”  During our discussion, they asked that I explain how I found myself in this unusual career change. I explained that environmental illness is a true unmet medical need where traditional medicine has not been effective in either identifying the illness or treating the patients. I also explained that diagnosing the home is not perceived as a normal activity that primary care physicians should be concerned.  The reason is primarily because of a physician’s aggressive schedules and limited time per patient.  They do not have time to even raise the topic.  Further, it is perceived that finding solutions outside their scope of influence is not part of their medical training, so is not something that they should do.

Most important to me, I could not envision how the pharmaceutical industry would pursue a pharmaceutical treatment for environmental illness. Any medicinal treatment would not address the cause the illness.  As long as the  air occupants breath remains polluted, a patient cannot heal properly.  Their immune system will always be active.  Also, if medical treatments were available in the future, pharmaceutical pricing may not make any true innovation easily available to patients.

My current work and relationships with the doctors, mold professionals, and building science professionals and patients inspire me to empower patients and their families to consider their environment and air when severely ill. Fortunately, environments can be tested early and inexpensively when an illness becomes symptomatic.  Early diagnosis could save countless diagnostics and treatments from numerous physician specialties.  Unfortunately, with environmental illness, the sick individual and their families shoulders most of the responsibility in identifying environmental illness as the cause of chronic illness.  Today’s medical ecosystem does not include standard investigation of home living conditions.

Patients must be proactive and participate in identifying the cause and location of the mold or toxins and must also find a doctor or integrative medicine physicians and/or other experts. This is a very tall order!  SickHouses has been created to provide as much useful information possible to help environmentally ill patients and their families to identify, fix or avoid moldy or toxic homes during the home buying process.

About SickHouses

Sickhouses.com will provide regular informative articles on the various aspects of environmental illness and “project management” suggestions to address and balance medical and home repair efforts.  Over time, expert referrals  will continue to be added.  This could make a significant impact with home purchasers who require IAQ in order to get well.  By understanding red flags and the professionals required to fix the issues, they can avoid a home sickness nightmare.

It can become important to introduce wellness into the realtor relationship.  Families with chronic illness should consider avoiding realtors who minimizes or ignore health and wellness issues when purchasing new homes.  This process will add additional diligence in the buying process that may not be welcome.  We need real estate professionals to understand the “sick” client and their needs.  Buyers and realtors can learn how to look for “red flags” and develop a network of professionals to improve the situation.  I am fortunate to have found local realtors in Atlanta who believe in this effort and environmental professionals who support the notion of avoiding buying SickHouses.  These professionals are very dedicated to getting patients well and understand the other issues described in this article.  The have unanimously endorsed their preference would be to get involved early in the process so environmental illness sufferers  can avoid the physical, emotional, and financial pain.

 

 

 

 

 

Why You Should Consider Mold Fogging?

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home

A Very Effective DIY Tool to Address Systemic Mold in a Home

By Cesar Collado

Patients experiencing sensitivities in their home will face many difficult decisions regarding alternatives when a physician suggests their home is making them sick.  There exists a little known, but well validated, method for addressing systemic mold in a home.  Many mold professionals use “Hot Fogging” when remediating a home if they want to avoid chemical toxicities.   This is often at the request of the client.  These products come with simple to use instructions for DIY options to reduce the mold counts in your home in order to breath higher quality indoor air.  Sometimes, this is a necessity when waiting for a home to be inspected and remediated.

DIY Hot Fogging can reduce mold counts to close to zero and reach almost all exposed surface area in a home at the same time.  This coupled with HEPA vacuuming and air purification can reduce levels to where you can feel better in your home if it is not too far gone.   There are cases where certain home situations can be hopeless.  You need a proper building science professional to determine if that is the case.

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home Mold takes a while to get a foothold, but maintenance can be a short-term solution or even a longer term solution for people who rent and may not have a choice.  Systemic fogging also provides valuable information regarding symptoms, the source of the mold, home leakages identified where the fog escapes, and retesting the home after you fog.  Time can also help a home owner to manage their financial alternatives and possibly prevent “scope creep.” This can occur when less experienced mold remediators who are also general contractors  suggest more remodeling in the remediation than necessary.  this can drive costs up significantly.  In addition, when using a remediator who is not grounded in building science and mold expertise, mold will often reemerge in the remodeled home.

Unfortunately, the debilitating symptoms from mold exposure will not go away until you are no longer exposed.  The EPA estimates people spend on average of 93% of their lives inside. In fact, the Air we breath can be 5 times more important than all medicine, doctors, or treatments available to patients1. Clean air is essential for medical healing.

For clarity, this means that if you do not remove both the mold and the source of the moisture in your home, it is unlikely that you will get better due to continuous living in a moldy home.  More and more literature suggest that clean air is essential in helping a body heal.  The body cannot heal if inhaled mold is continuously taxing your immune system.

Mold Everywhere?

Mold is ubiquitous, both inside homes and  Environmental Hazards in Your Home outside.  Mold can exist in home walls and floors while being dormant.  It is impossible to remove all mold from a home. When it dries naturally within a day, it can simply becomes dormant until new moisture reactivates it again.  Mold plays an important role as part of the normal decaying process in nature. We all see it outdoors, in our bathrooms, and other places inside and outside our homes.  This is normal and we accept it.

When there is a leak, moisture issue, or water damage in a home, today’s most popular building materials create fertile ground for many dangerous mycotoxin producing molds. Today, gypsum/paper-backed drywall and cellulose products are standard in all homes.  These product can absorb water and are nutrients for many toxic molds such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, Chaetomium, Alternaria, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Wallemia, and.  Cladosporium.  Solid wood has been replaced with particle board products, and other furnishings that contain formaldehyde, cellulose, or adhesives along with other toxic chemicals used as flame retardants. Unfortunately, when mold contaminates a home, it is insidious, resilient, and difficult to completely eradicate from both decaying materials and the air.  Mold is also common when cosmetic building materials are used to create a facade of brick, stone, or simply wallpaper. Anywhere, there is a gap between materials, moisture can accumulate.as

The Removal of Airborne Mold Requires a Physical or Mechanical Effort.

To completely remediate a home, mold must be removed from building materials as well as the breathable air and airflow of an HVAC.  Decaying materials cannot be salvaged and must be removed all together.  The near impossible challenge is that in order to clean mold, it will be disturbed during the wiping, scrubbing or physical removal of material processes.  When this occurs, airborne spores are readily released and have the ability to remain airborne for hours and contaminate other rooms in homes, and possibly distributed throughout the home by the ventilation system.  Professional mold remediators will often have to completely seal portions of the home and HVAC systems using floor to ceiling  plastic sheets sealed with tape. They will also either create negative or positive pressure within the contained area to funnel moldy exhaust outside the home, or filter the air through a HEPA air scrubber.  Air scrubbers will quickly clean air in a space.  They become essential when removing mold disturbed spores will become airborne.   Hot fogging a home after remediation is another way to address all areas in a home as well as to treat hidden surface areas that may not have been not treated during remediation.

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home

Surprisingly, the dry or hot fogging innovation was originally developed by the entertainment industry for special effects during the 1970s using dry ice.  In fact, one of the preeminent fog machine producers in Germany, Gunter Schaidt, Safex Chemie GmbH, received an Academy Award in the category of Technology in Cinema (“Oscar”) for “non-toxic liquid for artificial fog” in 1984.  The entertainment industry has also worked closely with the EPA to establish safety by conducting an extensive scientific study, “Health Effects Evaluation Of Theatrical Smoke, Haze, And Pyrotechnics”.

Mold sensitive patients are often chemically sensitive.  This means that chemical cleaning products can be especially toxic or harmful to sensitive occupants.  Building science experts, knowledgeable IAQ professionals within the HVAC industry, and a select number of mold remediation pros that work with physicians will, as a policy or by request, turn to all-natural products known for their antimicrobial activity.  Using a hot fogging method, they are able to physically remove mold from the air and surfaces rather than just kill the microbes and leave remaining debris and toxins in the air or on surfaces.

 

 

Botanical Fogging Safety

Propylene glycol fogging has been used in the entertainment  Environmental Hazards in Your Home business and as a necessary training tool for fire fighters, military, and other rescue professionals.  Hot fogging has also been adopted by the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, and food production, and manufacturing for cleaning.  Hot fog is cost and time effective when cleaning and sanitizing hospitals, clean rooms for manufacturing electronic components, and research labs. Fogging is also used with large scale food production equipment.  Prior to fogging, instruments would need to be disassembled after each use which is time consuming, expensive, and created opportunity costs.

The hot fog can reach everywhere in a room including holes, crevices, and beneath and around large furnishings.  Pressure manipulation in the form of positive and negative pressurization can be used to drive the fog into the near impossible to reach areas in a room or to funnel exhaust and airborne particles such as mold spores, bacteria, dust, and other microbes outdoors.

How Does Botanical Fogging Work?

Mold, bacteria, and other microbes are social organisms.  In an earlier article of mine, Biofilms in Chronic Inflammation and Infections, I explain how diverse microorganisms form together with sugars to make a film that protects the microbes from any antimicrobial threats. An example of biofilm is the thin film that developed on teeth when they haven’t been brushed for a while.  In the air, the coming together activity is called agglomeration. The small particle ions are attracted to other ions and cluster together.

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home

When heated, propylene glycol fog creates a “fog, smoke, or vapor” with microscopic droplets that can rise to reach all areas in the room.  Hot Foggers can disburse 1,500 to 20,000 cubic feet per minute into a room.  The fog is composed of heated mini-droplets of the botanical that are approximately 10 microns in size. Fogging at this rate allows the fog to become dense in the room to the degree that you cannot see through the fog.  The fog droplets are also social and adhere to the floating fragments & spores that continue the agglomeration.  the botanical blend is a combination of natural oils from a variety of citrus seed extracts known for their anti fungal properties.  Lemom and lime juice has been used as a preservative for many perishable foods for ages.

Allowing the fog to settle over a period of 12 hours is sufficient for the botanicals to be directly exposed to the mold spores where time and gravity to pull the particles, organisms, and debris to the floor or other horizontal surfaces.  The fog then evaporates, leaving a microscopic layer of the botanical. Now the spore remains (which may still be allergens or toxic) can be removed using a HEPA vacuum.  If you do not use a HEPA vacuum, the debris will simply be redistributed by the vacuum into the air!

The Propylene glycol used as a carrier is food grade and is regarded by the FDA as Generally Regarded As Safe (“GRAS”), and the microscopic layer left of the all-natural botanical is safe to the touch and for food preparation surfaces.  Following the settle time, a thorough cleaning of all surfaces must be done with a HEPA vacuum and surfaces wet wiped with microfiber cloths or disposable rags.

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home Sick Houses

DIY Hot Fogging

DIY fogging takes some planning, settling time (up to 12 hours) and effort.  However, it is a safe activity to do yourself to improve home safety and save money. DIY fogging will fully saturate the room with fog, which will agglomerate with the mold spores and other pollutants so they will fall to floor and horizontal surfaces.

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home Sick HousesA HEPA vacuum will remove virtually all of the biological debris and particles. (Note: it must be a HEPA Cannister vacuum designed for this purpose or an upright vacuum with HEPA specially designed bags.)

 

 

Regular home vacuums and shop vacs will collect microscopic particles and will recirculate them into the air.  Bagless cannister vacuums create significant risk as you are exposed to an overwhelming number of  disturbed or airborne toxic particles of dust when emptying Mold spore debris is just as dangerous as mold spores when inhaled.

One benefit of hot fogging is that you do not have to remove all of the contents of the room to fog. The fog will reach all of your items on all sides. It is sometimes recommended to open cabinets, drawers, closets, etc. to allow the fog to reach all belongings.  It is also recommended that individual items be cleaned with an appropriate product or concentrated hydrogen peroxide.

DIY Misting

Cold fogging or misting is often used in a similar manner to the hot fog.  The cold fogger aerosolizes the liquid into droplets of approximately 25 microns in size.  The mister is limited to the spray pattern of the mist and gravitational drop once the droplets reach their peak.  It can reach many hard to reach places; however, it will not force itself into cracks, seams, and crevices or the back side of objects being misted.  Misting still requires cleaning before and after if being used as a means to remediate. Given the limitations, misting can still be used very effectively if done regularly. It is also effective in removing putrid and musty odors that come from bacteria, yeast, and mold.  On the downside, larger cold foggers can be heavy to handle for many.mold fogger  The HavenMister by BioBalance is the smaller  quality fogger that is an effective misting alternative that will weighs in at less than 7 lb. and can easily be maneuvered.

You can learn more about foggers and other products by clicking on Products That Our Experts Recommend button above or click HERE.  with regards to all the products I recommend, each company is very responsive when called with questions.  BioBalance, in particular, provides exceptional phone support by experienced experts in fogging when their products are purchased.

If you would like to share your story or have a question, please feel free to comment on this article or you can email me at cesarrcollado@gmail.com.

 

 

  1. Manchanda, Rishi MD. “The Air We Breathe”.  Ted Talk.  September 15, 2014
  2. Moline, Jacqueline MD et. al, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “Health Effects Evaluation Of Theatrical Smoke, Haze, And Pyrotechnics”. Equity-League Pension and Health Trust Funds. June 6, 2000.
  3. Robertson, O. et. al. “The Bactericidal Action of Propylene Glycol Vapor On Microorganisms Suspended in Air.” Journal of Experimental Medicine. June 1, 1942.
  4. McNary, Dave. “Richard Glickman, Engineer and Fog Machine Inventor dies at 91. Variety. Feb 23 2018.
  5. “Science And Technical Oscars Awarded” Los Angeles Times. March 18, 1985
  6. Marlow, Jeffrey. “Microbes are More Social Than You Think, But Not Always in a Good Way” Discover.  August 22, 2016

 

Mold Illness: The Direct, Indirect, and Human Costs

Mold Problems Impact the Entire Family

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home Sick Houses

By Cesar Collado

When someone suffers from chronic, debilitating illness caused by mold exposure, they are often met with a lack of understanding or empathy. Questions about the legitimacy of their symptoms from others often leads patients to delay seeking help, and an accurate diagnosis becomes further delayed or elusive. In addition to this personal turmoil (human cost) the illness causes, it is also very costly economically and burdens entire families with medical and remediation bills for years to come. All of these costs seem immediate, but formany, they are drawn out and span years. Many patients are even suffering with and paying for the treatment of other chronic conditions for years before they ever figure out that mold was the main trigger or cause of ALL of the suffering. Moving into a house with a mold problem can begin to trigger any number of diverse illnesses that can impact each member of the family different ways. Some may have no symptoms. Others may have debilitating symptoms. Regardless, no-one will get well as long as they are breathing in antigens that keep the immune system working during all times at home, especially sleet, when your body heals.

To properly elucidate this sensitive topic, I want to really examine some of the long-term indirect costs of mold illness from more of a “other” symptom perspective. I will also go discuss some of the intangible costs or sacrifices some people have to endure. Due to mold illness, some patients are unable to pursue aspirations that can include their careers, dreams, and family.

Long-Term Costs of Mold Illness

There are many long-term costs, direct and indirect, that should be taken into consideration when mold begins to affect someone’s health. Important, but often not recognized are some of the long-term disease states brought on by mold illness and toxicity, especially when not properly diagnosed. It is therefore important to examine many of those chronic conditions to see where mold fits into the equation. Doing so can help to speed proper treatment, recovery and health. When this occurs, patients have an easier time winning the economic battle that often accompanies mold illness.

Respiratory Disease

Mold can lead to many inflammatory syndromes leading to inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Respiratory illness such as asthma is commonly developed in children exposed to moldy conditions. With 50 million Americans currently living with an autoimmune disease and the prevalence of chronic disease rising addressed.

 

 Environmental Hazards in Your Home Sick Houses

Diseases such as asthma can last a lifetime. In addition, children with Asthma may face quality of life limitations. Physical activity or physically demanding careers requiring fitness may no longer be options for these individuals.

Neurological/Cognitive Problems Due To Mold Exposure

 Environmental Hazards in Home Sick Houses

The impact of mold and mycotoxin exposure on neurological and psychiatric disorders is relatively unrecognized, but very real. The medical challenge is that a neurologist does not have any diagnostics, treatment, or medicines at their disposal to treat or remove mycotoxins. This is partly because that the highest concentration of toxins in the body will often lie in infected sinuses with close proximity to the blood brain barrier. In addition to neurotoxins, the brain’s inflammatory responses to foreign antigens contribute to tissue damage. These toxins have to be removed through detoxification over time. Sometimes, people need a “mechanic” to physically remove the cause through surgery or detoxification along with proper nutrition and supplements. 

Headaches or migraines, also neurological disorders, can be triggered by mold exposure. Migraineheadaches have a significant impact on a patient’s livelihood and productivity. Migraines are a neurological disease characterized by recurrent episodes of severe headaches accompanied by other symptoms includingnausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and changes in vision. More than 36 million Americans have migraines. Although the overall cost attributable to migraines is difficult to measure, most of the impact has been associated with disability and decreased functional status and consequent indirect costs to employers.

Migraineurs are estimated to require 3.8 bed rest days for men and 5.6 days for women each year.4 This figure can be divided into partial days as well, such as having to leave work early. This does not include the pain and suffering for patients who continue to work through the episodes.

For patients suffering from neurological difficulties, their potential family and societal contributions, ability to pursue a career, and career advancement can become impossible to quantify. The loss of cognitive and functional abilities impacts the individual and his or her family in profound ways. Caring for adults with cognitive impairments is often very stressful and demanding. Caregivers cope with their loved ones’ memory loss, behavioral and personality changes, chronic care needs and the high costs of care. Caregiving can span decades, can impact both the physical and mental health of the caregiver and can result in extreme economic hardship.

Psychiatric Disorders

Related to neurological disorders, but distinctly different, are depression and anxiety morbidity with moldthe common symptoms of lack of energy and fatigue. These often affect mood in a tremendous way. In addition, anxiety resulting from strained relationships, financial uncertainty, and PTSD brought on by re-exposure are common with mold illness. Regardless, the cause of the psychiatric symptoms must beaddressed for the person to get better.

Inflammatory Diseases

Virtually any of the over 100 named autoimmune disorders (there are many that have not yet been formally identified) can be triggered by inflammation due to mold. Diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, etc. can develop due to chronic inflammation. In these diseases, it is the body’s own immune that is causing the disease. These diseases can last a lifetime requiring continuous treatments. Although the AARDA estimates that 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease, the report notes that there is insufficient epidemiological data available to determine the full direct and indirect costs to the overall health care system due to autoimmune disease.”5.Autoimmune disease is one of the top ten causes of death in women under the age of 65, is the second highest cause of chronic illness, and is the top cause of morbidity in women in the United States. Exactly what triggers an autoimmune response is unknown; however, researchers do know that autoimmune diseases occur where there is a genetic predisposition in the family towards autoimmunity and the presence of an environmental trigger, such as viruses, bacteria, medications, pollutants, hormones, or stress. 6.Mold and mycotoxins would also fall under this description

 Environmental Hazards in Home Sick Houses

For patients with other inflammatory diseases, such as digestive diseases, like ulcerative colitis, Celiac or Crohn’s disease, quality of life is disrupted, and on-going treatment can be paralyzing for most middle- to low-income Americans. Average total charges for patients treated with biologics for the mild, moderate, and severe disease groups were $6,277, $10,033 and $37,135, respectively.1.These medications have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization. According to a study that examined costs related to IBD conditions, the average total cost of hospitalization is $35,378.6. These costs include diagnostics, imaging, and endoscopic procedures.

Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex inflammatory disease affecting the nose and sinuses of an estimated 16% of the United States population. Those affected by CRS experience a significant decrease in quality of life and productivity. CRS often results in long-term impairment and, for some, disability. The direct cost of CRS treatment per individual ranged from $5,560 to $5,955 USD per year.7. The indirect costs are similar to migraines as episodes impact the patient’s ability to function and may require absence from work or school.

Earnings Loss

Due to the chronic nature of most autoimmune diseases, patients often miss extended periods of employment. Because of this, patients are faced with thousands of dollars in medical expenses that they can no longer afford due to lost wages. With over 60% of families depend on dual incomes, any disability can have a profound impact on the family’s financial security. In addition, debilitation impacts parenting responsibilities. When a person is facing a severe autoimmune disease, the ability and tenure to work is compromised. For example, approximately 50 percent of Rheumatoid Arthritis patients become unable to work within ten years of disease onset5.

 Environmental Hazards in Home Sick Houses

Lost Opportunities Due to Mold Illness

While it cannot be quantified, the impact of mold sickness can impact a child or adult’s career aspirations. The inability to pursue education has a direct impact on earning potential of an individual. There are substantial differences in lifetime earnings based on level of education.6

Finally, a cost figure cannot be placed on the inability for a person to pursue their dreams. A recent discussion with the mother of a teenager who suffers from mold sensitivity brought awareness to the difficulty for her son’s inability to pursue his chosen career. He comes from a multi-generation family of military officers and cannot follow his father’s footsteps. No price can be placed on that.

 

Preventive and Mold Hygiene Maintenance to Improve Long-Term Wellness

When getting at the heart of preventative care, so that these long-term costs do not become a part of your reality, there are quite a few steps that you can take to improve your outcomes.

 

  • Perhaps the single most effective treatment a patient can do is regular sinus rinsing with a saline rinse reality, there are quite a few steps that you can take to improve your outcomes. and Agrumax Dietary Supplement. A Nasal rinse system will physically remove mold and mycotoxins from the point of entrance.
  • Burning Remedy Air Purification Candles will remove mold and mycotoxins from the immediate air inindoor spaces, especially those spaces that you have no control over, like hotel rooms, offices, rentals;
  • Using an Cold fogger with BioBalance Haven Mist can be invaluable when maintaining an area free of mold. This is especially applicable when you cannot leave and must live in a less than ideal water-damaged environment.
  • For a more complete eradication of mold, BioBalance Haven Fog is the most complete solution. It requires a full day. A fog is created to fill the home with positive pressure to to push the fog into all crevices, cabinets, and drawers. This will reduce the mold spores in the home and AC to close to zero. It doesn’t address any structural or moisture  For more information problems. So mold will eventually come back if the cause is not addressed.

Each of these solutions can contribute to removing the cause of inflammation to help your immune system keep up with the mold.

 

 Environmental Hazards in Home Sick Houses

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved

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Chemicals and Headaches

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity 

 Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity

By Cesar Collado

Many people experience debilitating headaches when exposed to everyday chemicals in their environments.

A common question asked to me regards Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.  In fact, I received the following  request from an individual who read one of my articles:

“Thank you, Cesar, for being our advocate. Your article is once again, incredibly timely as my in-laws just told me three days ago that everything my husband and I are going through (pertaining to my mold-related illness) is MY FAULT. They proceeded to tell me that my husband needs a ‘normal wife’ and a ‘normal life’  It was incredibly painful to hear. Reading your article was validating for me and much appreciated. I noticed however, that you didn’tt write anything about chemical sensitivity and how/why  it is associated with mold.”

Thanks,   D.  🙂

What is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (“MCS”)

Our bodies are designed to process moderate amounts of foreign antigens and toxins from our environment. Normally, chemical toxin exposure occurs slowly with low levels over  a long period of time. Chemicals can reach the blood system via inhalation, ingestion, or through the skin. Most encounters are subtle or quick like entering a freshly painted room and exiting or eating an unwashed fruit or vegetable.  Our metabolism can address these levels.  However, when exposure is long or extreme, we cannot metabolize the chemicals fast enough and they are stored in fat and tissues in a queue to be metabolized.

More often, we hear about chemical exposure when we read about pesticides, plastics, pollution, gases, or some type of “spill” resulting in an environmental concern.  Symptoms from chemical exposure can be severe or mild.

These include:

 Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity

Toxic Load

Direct exposure to toxic chemicals can result in any combination of these symptoms as well. When serious exposure occurs, a person can reach their toxic load. It is when this occurs that the person becomes ultrasensitive to chemical exposure. However, when chemical exposure occurs slowly over time, the same result occurs. The body reaches its toxic load and they too can become ultra-sensitive to chemicals in the environment.

Mold Exposure and Toxic Load

 Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity

While molds itself is not a chemical, they actually produces secondary metabolites that are chemicals. Many of these “chemicals” can accumulate in various tissues in the body, including sinus tissues. Some mold species produce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) that are potent mycotoxins that can cause severe illness and acute toxicity. When a person receives an extreme exposure to mold, they can reach their toxic load immediately. As a result, mold sufferers can experience the symptoms of MCS from then on. The impact of even the smallest of exposures can be dramatic. People can get headaches, feel sick, or have a sense of panic. I don’t think I am capable of describing the discomfort and misery described to me by mold patients with chemical sensitivity. Because chemicals are everywhere, there is a feeling of hopelessness in addition to panic and misery.

Sensitivity can diminish when the person properly detoxes under a physician’s supervision with nutrition, diet, and treatment. However, sensitivity can remain throughout their lives. In addition, many common indoor molds produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins can be chemicals substances or gases. They can become airborne or become cast aways by attaching dust that often becomes airborne. Ironically, when home contents are very dusty, dusting can the cause for the dust particles becoming airborne, making the probability of exposure much more likely. Regular dusting is important to maintaining a mold freeenvironment. Wear a mask while dusting if significant dust accumulates. Using duster that attracts dust or a HEPA vacuum in these instances.

Mold and mycotoxins do not die and simply go away when not cleaned or removed. Mold can become dormant and mycotoxins can dry over time and break. These fragments of the toxins can be just as harmful as the entire molecule. Mycotoxin poisoning is much more severe than simple mold exposure. A common misbelief is that mold sufferers might not be exposed to mycotoxins. However, this is unlikely because common indoor molds include mycotoxin producing molds such as aspergillus, penicillium, and stachybotrys. These molds seem to flourish in water damaged homes, because the gypsum/paper drywall that is used absorbs water and mycotoxins are consistently found in these situations when tested.

Chemicals Everywhere!

There are over 80,000 chemicals that are cataloged as known by the EPA. 

 Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity

Hundred are considered dangerous.. We are exposed to any number chemicals in our indoor environments every day. The EPA reviews only a small fraction of the compounds currently used in production. It would take centuries for the EPA to review all chemicals at the current rate of 20 per year.1. To date, the EPA has been successful in banning only 5  substances, and only with specific applications.

The 5 Banned Chemicals are:

Asbestos, Chlorofluorocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (“PCBs”), dioxin, and hexavent chromium.  

In the US EPA, Chemicals are “innocent until proven guilty.” Under the law, the EPA cannot request testing of chemicals without having evidence a risk is likely.

 However, any household furnishings are treated with flame retardants. This includes curtains, rugs, furniture, ect. They off gas these chemicals over time. Building materials made of manufactured wood are made using formaldehyde, a cancer-causing agent. Personal care products can contain chemicals. For example, there are over 1,000 chemicals banned in Europe that are used in cosmetics in the US. Pesticides are used in agricultural products we eat. Household cleaning agents contain harmful chemicals. Fragrances in air fresheners, fabric softeners, and household cleaners contain chemicals. These are just a few examples.

Industrial chemicals and solvents are used in many manufacturing processes of many goods and services we use. It is important to note that the industries that use and sell products that use chemicals that may not be safe have extensive lobbying efforts and promote the safety of these chemicals.

 

For example, The AmericanChemical Society  FAQ section of their formaldehyde fact sheet states: “People actually produce and exhale formaldehyde themselves. If a person is exposed to external sources of formaldehyde, the body breaks it down rapidly. Formaldehyde is one of the most-well studied substances and we know a lot about how to use it safely. The general effects of formaldehyde on the human body are well-known. According to the large body of research available, the levels of formaldehyde to which the public is exposed are not high enough to cause adverse health effects.”  

 

Here is an absurd promotional piece from chemical companies lobbying efforts.

 Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity with Traditional Medicine

MCS, also referred to as idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI),is a valid diagnosis. Its classification as a standalone disease makes the diagnosis elusive. Its validity has been met with some controversy. It is referred to as more of a “syndrome” because the symptoms are chronic and vague with no known cause. There is little literature that addresses possible causes. However, the Gulf War, 9-11, and the BP Oil Spill provided huge amounts of data from victims collocated in areas providing evidence that a toxic exposure to chemicals can result in MCS.

When there is a water damaged home, mycotoxins from aspergillus and Penicillium are commonly present in the home. These secondary metabolites are chemical toxins that can have severe impact on several of the body’s organ systems and the brain. “What Happens When Toxins Get to Your Brain” provides detailed information on the topic.

Common practice for many medical physician specialties is to punt the issue to psychiatry. This is because of the symptoms  overlap with depression and anxiety disorders. When treated as the central diagnosis, it is often met with a multi-disciplinary approach involving multiple physician specialties to explore all of the potential causes. Because of the inability to conclusively diagnose the disease, it often leads to exploration of psychiatric illness or  psychosomatic symptoms..  Environmental physicians have theories that MCS is a result of abnormalities in the NMDA pathways. Nmethyl-D-aspartate-receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic glutamate receptors that function in synaptic transmission, plasticity andcognition. Malfunction of NMDARs has been implicated in a variety of nervous system disorders. Hypersensitive to monosodium glutamate and glutamate. This may explain why such a diverse number of chemicals can elicit the same biological responses. Because NMDA is important in synaptic plasticity (increases and decreases in activity) and memory. These theories sometimes lead to trying to use psychiatric or neurological pharmaceutical solutions.

Treatment for MCS should still center on reducing the toxic  Environmental Hazards, Mold in Homes, Sick Houses, chemical sensitivity  burden on the body vs. symptomatic relief through a trial and error effort with antidepressants and anti-convulsive medicines. The body has to metabolize and excrete chemicals itself.  Because MCS is often triggered by the olfactory nerve, patients can suffer a form of PTSD.  A whiff of something can trigger a full involuntary physical response.  This is a complicated issue that is often treaded by addressing the limbic system of the brain can be successfully utilized to reduce symptoms. It has proven efficacious for many patients to rewire the way their  brains process the sensory information to alleviate the symptoms and physical reactions.  More research is definitely needed, but limbic system retraining is a promising treatment thus far.

Mold Sickness and MCS as a Symptom

 

Mold and mycotoxins can impact or even shut down detoxification pathways. As a result, mold sufferers can become chemically sensitive. Chemical Sensitivity is a very real symptom of mold sickness. I have heard from countless patients about the impact chemical exposure has on their wellbeing. Just a whiff of perfume, chemical fragrances, fresh paint, or new carpet off-gassing can debilitate a mold sufferer very quickly.  Leaving the area is usually the only solution. Chemical off-gassing does occur over time and the chemicals in the air diminish as ventilation will slowly remove air contaminants.

Other medical issues can make matters worse. Heavy Metal poisoning, Lyme disease, and other coinfections can be exacerbated by mold. MCS can become paralyzing with these patients.

What  Can You Do?

 

When a person in the household is suffering from mold exposure, there are certain steps that should be taken as a precaution for all symptoms, including MCS. First and foremost, address the mold issue ASAP. Mold reproduces quickly and aerosolized spores are very common air pollutants. Getting the person out of the moldy environment, even temporarily can provide significant relief.

Making every effort to make and keep your home safe from chemicals is essential. Many chemicals arestored and used in our homes. Eliminating the utilization of products containing chemical pollutants and monitoring the storage of essential items can make a large difference. It is also important to note that service provider’s products should be monitored to ensure your home is not saturated with chemicals.

Common Cleaning Products That Cause Problems for MCS Sufferers:

  • Many laundry detergents containing cationic, anionic, or non- ionic solutions;
  • Fabric softeners have chemical fragrances and cellulose that also serves as “mold food.”  Then, contaminated clothing stays with you throughout the day;  
  • Household cleaners containing ammonia, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), ethylene glycol, monobutyl acetate;
  • Toilet bowl cleaners containing sodium bisulfate, 5-dimethyldantoin, hydrochloric acid, & phenol;
  • Mold and mildew cleaners containing chlorine and alkyl ammonium chlorides;
  • Drain cleaners containing lye and sulfuric acid;
  • Dishwashing detergents containing cationic, anionic, or non- ionic solutions plus phosphates;
  • Antibacterial cleaners containing ammonia, bleach, cresol, phenol, lye, triclosan, and pine oil; Window and glass cleaners containing ammonia or isopropanol;

Specialty Cleaning Products:

  • Rug, carpet, and upholstery cleaners containing perchloroethylene, & naphthalene;
  • Furniture polish containing ammonia, naphtha, nitrobenzene, petroleum distillates, and phenol;
  • Oven cleaners containing Lye;
  • Car air fresheners and fragrances.
  • Air Fresheners and fragrances:
  • Air fresheners containing formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, p-dichlorobenzene, aerosol propellants;
  • Freshener sprays that are used to mask bacterial or mold musty smells.
  • Chemicals Commonly Stored but that should be monitored for tight containment:
  • Paints and solvents;
  • Antifreeze;
  • Motor oil;
  • Batteries;
  • Windshield washer fluid;
  • Lubricants;
  • Glues/adhesives;
  • Pesticides (Chemical pesticides should never be used indoors);
  • Fertilizers.

Foods purchased:

  • Produce treated with Pesticides should be washed or organic should be consumed. Organic produce must also be washed and treated as well. They are often sources of contamination from bacteria like ecoli from the soil and natural fertilizers.
  • Personal hygiene products and cosmetics.  As the body detoxifies and the toxic burden is lowered, because the mold is no longer causing chronic inflammation and toxicity, tolerance of these chemicals can improve over time. The body’s metabolism will  begin to free up and expel the toxic build-up and will process minor exposures more efficiently. Avoiding direct exposure as many chemicals as possible will go a long way to avoiding unnecessary reactions or symptoms.

There are a variety of home cleaning solutions that can be readily made using natural products

  • https://hybridrastamama.com/recipes/?fwp_recipes=non-toxic-cleaning or
  • https://wellnessmama.com/6244/natural-cleaning/are good places to start.

Prevent Mold from Becoming a Problem in the First Place:

  • Keep humidity between 40-50% to avoid moisture levels conducive to mold growth;
  • Use a HEPA Air Purifier to maintain low levels of harmful pollutants in the air;
  • Regular fogging or spraying BioBalance Haven Mist will help keep the fungal count in the air lower;
  • Remedy Air Mainenance Candles can eliminate mold and mycotoxins in the immediate air where you spend your time. You can use Agrumax Dietary Supplement beyond nasal rinsing.
  • Maintain mold free bed linens, clothing, and towels with Remedy Laundry Liquid.
  • Clean Carpets or upholstery with Haven Clean.

 

  1. Scialla , Mark. It could take centuries for EPA to test all the unregulated chemicals under a new landmark bill. PBS Newshour/Science. June 22, 2016

 

© 2020, Cesar Collado, All Rights Reserved