Debilitated, Financially Strained or Unable to Work Make Getting a Grip on Mold Difficult. Try Mold Fogging

By Cesar Collado

I often receive emails from patients who have reached their limit of intolerable symptoms from environmental illness.  Their stories are very saddening, and you can really empathize with the level of misery experienced.  Today I am sharing an email from a mold sick patient.  People are always trying to “get a grip” on their situation.  I know little else about the individual at this time; however, his description of toxic diagnosis suggest that he has seen physicians who have experience treating environmental illness.  His plight is hopeless. Patients like him always want to begin getting a grip on mold problems.  I often respond to these emails noting that I am not a physician; however, I try to include appropriate advice so that the patient can be empowered to do something about their illness and home.  Obviously, they are not likely to be able to make large investments or move.  I can only suggest that they find a physician who treats environmental illness or provide a reference to a local physician who can address their illness. My intention is to provide the same advice that I would provide to a family member or friend.  I will provide a list of low-cost actions that may make a difference in their wellbeing and perhaps buy some wellness tome prior to having to address the more costly investments required to detoxify, get well, and address any indoor air quality issues he may have. 

Use the code above, “Get a Grip,” to save 15% on ALL HAVEN FOG and HAVEN MIST Products:  Haven Fog Kit, Haven Fog Mini Kit and HavenMist Kit, HavenMist Kit Large and HavenMist Travel Kit

An Email From A Mold Sufferer (June 2022)

“ Hi, my name is Alan S. I have been hit with mold illness, and my main symptom is insomnia, and I can’t sleep at all without Ambien.  My hormones are also out of whack like it explains in your article. I was taking benzos for a while and that just messed me up more.  I also have candida, sibo, and Mercury in my teeth.  i can’t work much because of my conditions but I’m going to try and beat this.  I also have marcons.  Do marcons cause insomnia? I was also told that I have damage to my pituitary gland. This could that be directly from marcons or is it directly due to a toxic brain.  I’m trying to figure all this out to finally overcome it.  Have I been like this for 3 years or more. I [want to be] over it.”

My Initial Response: ” Getting a Grip on Mold”

Hi Alan,

I am very sorry to hear about your illness.  It sounds debilitating. Your email suggests that you may have a potent combination of toxicities and may have reached your toxic load. If that is the case, you may be continually exposed to toxins (at home or work).   

First, I am not a physician and cannot give medical advice.  However, you should start ‘getting a grip’ on the situation by addressing what you can control.  I always assume patients are on a tight budget or cost conscious.  This advice is what I would tell a family member as the first steps.  Some of these cost money; but, they are on a much smaller scale than the full list price with professionals.

The issue I think of when it comes to insomnia is that perhaps the air where you sleep may be polluted. There are many biological and chemical pollutants that can impact your health.  When someone has reached their toxic load, they become extra-sensitive to all chemicals and allergens.  When this occurs, the nose is the most sensitive sense we have.  Inhaling polluted air can trigger both cognitive and immune response issues.  I would consider the following actions to mitigate this issue and ensure you are living in areas where the immediate air is clean.

First and foremost, identify a physician who treats environmental illness.  You can google “environmental illness physician” and your city to get hits.  Investigate the web pages of the physician to find candidates that explicitly state that they treat environmental illness.  Call th office to complete your vetting.  The symptoms you described must be  addressed by a physician.  An environmental illness physician is very different from a traditional doctor.  They are trained specifically to help the body detoxify and remove the toxins from your body.

Try Fogging: Action Steps to Progress,

Phase I:  The following steps can be taken immediately.  They specifically address your air quality and mitigate fungal exposure.  While they may not immediately address all of your symptoms, they are necessary for any person who suffers from mold illness.  These steps just scratch the surface of suggestions to address mold. 

1. If possible, get away from your home and try to stay at a friend or family’s home for a week or two. Take nothing with you except clean clothing. If symptoms subside or you feel better over time, you will know there are issues with your home Indoor Air Quality that is triggering you.
2. Buy a HEPA air purifier for your bedroom where you spend most your time. Quality HEPA purifiers costs $200 and up.   When you sleep, the body’s healing processes are working.  If you are breathing allergens, pollutants, or pathogens, the immune system responds.  This can disturb your sleep and the body ceases healing.  As important, your brain only detoxifies while you sleep.  The glymphatic system and cerebral spinal fluid detoxifies the brain.
3. Regardless of whether you have sinus issues or not, rinse your sinuses twice daily with water and 10 drops of Agrumax Dietary Supplement using a nasal wash system.  This is the most effective activity anyone can do because your sinus system serves as your own HEPA filter.  Inhaled toxins can reach sinus tissue and be stored in tissue adjacent to the blood brain barrier and the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland controls 8 hormonal systems in the body and can wreak havoc on the entire body if compromised.  Also, your nasal vasculature is very sensitive.  Rinsing with a natural, non-toxic rinse is like pressure washing your sinuses daily.  It will remove almost any debris from your sinuses. This will also address bacterial infection.
4. Add 10 drops of Agrumax to 6-8 oz of water and drink it once a day. This will address candida and SIBO in your gut.
5. Purchase a HEPA Vacuum (Cannister with HEPA Filter or upright with HEPA bags.)  Vacuum all surfaces as often as you can tolerate.  Toxins and allergens are often airborne; but they will always settle on the floor or horizontal surfaces. Read more about HEPA purifiers and vacuums HERE.
6. Follow an anti-fungal diet.  Avoid sugars and refined flours that fuel fungal growth.
7. You can employ a mold expert to assist you if you are having trouble working through the situation while being debilitated.  Learn more about identifying mold professionals HERE.

These steps will likely cost in the range $500-$1000 and are directed on removing toxic elements from your body (sinus and gut) and any excess mold or dust from your home.  “Where there is dust, there is mold.”

Getting a Grip on Mold Removal: Phase 2

After you have addressed the issues within your control, my next recommendation is to employ a DIY systematic process of small particle clean-up to remove mold, chemical, and other microbial pollutants from your home.  Normally, I suggest hiring an environmental professional at this time; however, seeing a physician and doing all the repairs needed can take significant time (months) and money.  Furthermore, if you one of the 36% of the households in the US that rent, you will have little influence on the owner’s appetite for expensive remediation, mechanical systems replacements, or remodeling to remove mold.  You can read a single page infographic on the process HERE.

“Getting a Grip” on Fogging your Home

I recommend BioBalance products to meet your fogging needs. 

BioBalancenow.com is a single stop shop with solutions for DIY mold treatment.  BioBalance offers numerous products and solutions to address varying levels of mold throughout the home.  All kits contain everything you need to fog your home, eliminating multiple trips to the hardware store.  Instructions are clear and easy to follow.

BioBalance Fogging Options and Instructions

	Mold is:	Best used for:	Treatment	Recommendation
Good	Confined to a single room or area	Isolated Mold	Water-based Mist treatment for targeted application	Haven Mist
Better	Present in Multiple rooms	Significant Mold	“Hot” Fog treatment for every nook and cranny	HavenFog
Best	Significant and ongoing issues	Widespread Mold	Fog and Shampoo treatment with Mist maintenance	HavenFog & HavenClean for Carpet & Furniture Mold Treatment
Damage to Home Structure	High concentrations of mold on building materials (e.g.– wood framing, sub-flooring, crossbeams, concrete blocks, concrete flooring, etc	Cleaning Wood, Cement, Cabinets	Mist with high concentration Hydrogen Peroxide 12% (OTC H2O2 is 3%)	BioBalance Peroxide Kit

 

Getting a Grip on Small Particle and Dust Removal

The EPA recognizes that fogging alone will not mitigate the health risks of mold. A comprehensive clean-up after fogging settles will allow you to remove all dust, mold debris, and toxins from the home using a HEPA vacuum, microfiber cloths, and Haven Mist or Remedy Mold Solution Concentrate. 

Click HERE for a Complete Small Molecule and Dust Clean Up Instruction Sheet.

 

 

 

 

Summary

When you are faced with certainty that your illness is caused or exacerbated by mold, it is helpful to try to fix the contributing elements of your mold illness to the degree that you can afford or execute.  Removing dust and mold by cleaning with a HEPA vacuum, using a HEPA air purifier, rinsing your sinuses with an antimicrobial nasal rinse system, taking Agrumax Dietary Supplement, and fogging can make a significant difference in how you are feeling.  Regardless, it is imperative to fix all moisture issues in your home and conduct a DIY inspection. 

While some inspectors are not knowledgeable about fogging with a non-toxic botanical, fogging can reduce mold levels in a home to close to zero. This will at least buy time and peace of mind while you are investigating all options and can be scheduled to fix different parts of your home. At worst, you can use a maintenance fog on a regular basis to keep mold at bay.  Mold takes a while to reproduce to dangerous airborne levels.