Learn about mold around you
helpful tips & resources for testing and inspecting
One of the first steps toward managing biotoxins that affect your health is to understand where the toxins are and either eliminate them or avoid them. Mold is everywhere and not all of it is known to be harmful to humans. Several examples of beneficial mold are found outside like garden compost or fallen trees decaying in a forest. Modern medicine benefits from penicillin which is derived from moulds. But the most harmful and damaging molds & biotoxins are often found inside your home or workplace. They include black mold, or even invisible toxins leftover after water damage from decades past. Understanding more about the visible and indiscernible toxins you might be breathing in and how to eliminate them will bring you closer to health. Eating foods that do not contain molds and mycotoxins is also a very important part of your healing regimen, and you will find many articles & recipes here on Mold Free Menu to support you.
If you are concerned or curious about harmful mold exposure, you will find some of these resources helpful.The MFM team is always interested in improving the site to bring you the most helpful resources. Feel free to reach out and offer suggestions for other reputable resources we might share with the community. Stay in the loop with the latest information by signing up for our monthly newsletter here.
information about spore counts and what they mean
useful information about potentially dangerous hotspots and rental Q&A
tips on avoiding mold when travelling and other mold illness information from a person affected by mold toxins
multiple locations around the US with top ratings for testing
well rated inspection serving Colorado
curious about testing a space discreetly? Order a DIY kit here. A HERTSMI accucloth kit runs about $150 for the sample collector cloth and test results.
A few tips for maintaining healthy air quality in your home:
Keep your home’s humidity level below 40% to avoid creating the perfect climate for toxins to grow inside.
All leaks no matter how small must be stopped immediately and all porous goods- drywall, tile, carpet etc.- will need to be replaced or remediated by a remediation expert.
Always hire a certified remediation company to handle the final steps of cleanup after water damage of any kind- sealing up a wall after a leak- even if it is bone dry- may trap harmful toxins. Experts in the field have the tools & knowledge to prevent these types of outbreaks.
Interesting facts:
Just because you don’t see any of the typical furry growth or presently have any water leaks- doesn’t mean you do not have biotoxins in your home. “Mold” is not just the black stuff you see in the bathroom grout or the spots on the wall. Toxins come in many shapes and sizes- most are actually invisible to the naked eye.
Test kits for your indoor environment like HERSTMI and ERMI test for the most common species of molds & bacteria. If you are experiencing symptoms- you might be reacting to a toxin that isnt ‘common’. If you have CIRS or the HLA-DR gene, you are extremely sensitive to toxin counts, even at presumably safe levels as noted in the test results. Try these two personal tests :
mold sabbatical
or C4a testing
(more about these in medical tests for CIRS)
to see if your living space is causing your symptoms.
Ozone is effective against airborne toxins like bacteria & fungus but has severe side effects like lung damage. Until the list of detrimental repercussions is lifted, it’s probably best to turn any ozone features off on your air purifier.
- Free exclusive recipes
- Helpful product giveaways
- Latest news before it reaches the blog
- Supportive tips from the moldfreemenu community
Other posts you might be interested in:
Two most important First Steps in healing from mold illness
Definitions and important phrases related to CIRS
35 safe foods for CIRS and five to avoid completely
What is a Low Amylose diet and why follow it?
The best air purifiers for mold filtration