Mold exposure long-term effects can be devastating. Memory loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, and confusion, just to name a few of the long-term effects of mold exposure. Mold growth is more prevalent than most people realize.
At least 45 million buildings in the United States have unhealthy levels of mold. (1) This is problematic for families, especially infants. Those who are exposed to mold at home have three times the risk of developing asthma as those who do not experience mold exposure during the first year of life. (2)
What are the Health Effects of Mold Exposure
People with undiagnosed mold allergies may not even realize that persistent sneezing and runny nose are caused by indoor mold. Some people experience shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sinus infections, and other health problems, and yet the cause is not always apparent.
Toxic mold can cause a serious allergic reaction in some, while others go on with no symptoms at all. It can be difficult to diagnose considering it mimics a variety of other illnesses.
The inflammatory response that occurs as the effects of mold exposure can cause a cascade of other negative health effects, including memory loss, anxiety, depression, and infertility. (3) When a person who has Lyme disease is exposed to mold mycotoxins it can cause severe mold illness.
Symptoms include:
Joint pain, muscle aches, pain, stiffnessFatigue, weaknessCoughing, shortness of breathHay Fever like symptoms, sore throatNosebleedsHeadaches, migraineStomach pain, leaky gutEye irritation - watery, burning, stinging, itchy eyesSkin irritation
Black mold can cause a variety of health conditions even when occupants are unaware that it exists. Exposure to mold spores puts healthy people, including children and pets at increased risk of fungal infections.
As Michael mentions in the podcast, all family members may be exposed to mold toxins from the same source of mold and some will experience a decline in wellness, while others will have no symptoms. Blood tests can show if you have side effects of exposure to toxic black mold. Ask your healthcare provider to perform tests.
For example, my doctor used Vital Wellness Heavy Metals test which is very extensive and shows a variety of mold exposures. *see my results in the screenshot below
No matter what, it is important to avoid black mold exposure to prevent the risk of health issues. Avoid water leaks by inspecting your home on a yearly basis.
Cleaning mold and mildew with bleach may remove visible mold, but keep in mind that the roots of black mold, called hyphae, can extend further into the drywall or other surfaces than you can see with the naked eye.
Mold removal by a professional will reduce the health risk to you and your family.
According to the CDC, controlling dampness is crucial to the prevention of moldy areas in your home.
Keep humidity levels as low as you can—between 30% and 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
Guest Michael Rubino
Michael Rubino, The Mold Medic, is the authority on mold remediation.
Michael Rubino, The Mold Medic, is the authority on mold remediation. As President of All American Restoration, Rubino specializes in working with people who are immunocompromised or have acute and sustained reactions to mold exposure. Rubino provides solutions that not only get rid of mold sources, but also get rid of the contamination created by those mold sources using his proprietary “Home Detox” method. He assembles teams to locate the mold, educates homeowners on what it takes to detoxify your house, and improves the air quality of homes to levels many would believe to be impossible. Rubino’s systems have a 100 percent guarantee to remove mold, mycotoxins, endotoxins, and bacteria, the hidden culprits behind poor air quality and many health issues, by removing the contaminants from the environment and improving the space so that these issues can no longer occur. He is a council certified Mold Remediator by IICRC and ACAC and a contributing member, sponsor, and speaker for the Indoor Air Quality Association.
The Mold Medic, Michael RubinoMold Remediation with All American Restoration.
Rebecca: [00:00:00] You being the mold medic. I would love to know exactly how you got into this field of work.
Michael: [00:00:07] Yeah. I mean, most kids don't dream of becoming a mold guy when they grow up and, you know, it was, it definitely wasn't my dream, but essentially my dad's a, a contractor my entire life. So pretty much second-generation contractor in the family.
And, why I got into mold specifically or environmental exposure, really is, is hurricane Sandy that happened in the Northeast when I was, where I'm originally from. And seeing people actually sick due to these types of exposures is really what made me dial into this. And mainly because I saw an interest in, you know, looking at people who were being sick, coming from a background that I came from, I almost didn't believe it at first.
I was like, wait, what do you mean? People are sick. It gets just mold. Right. You know, mold can make you sick or, you know, bacteria and these things. I mean, you know, I used to lick poles as a kid or something and never had problems. Right? So you start looking at this and you start to see kind of these limiting beliefs that you, you know, come that come into play just to just have a lack of awareness.
And when I started seeing people get sick, a light bulb turned on in my head in terms of like, okay, I think there's something that we're missing here from a societal standpoint. And so I started getting into mold remediation and I started, I got my certification. Later the state became licensed. I got my license and, I really just dove in head first.
And I came across things like mycotoxins, and which is a toxic by-product that mold can create. And a lot of other bacterial exposures and bacterial toxins, and as I started really diving into this and watching the transformation of people not feeling well, then all of a sudden they start feeling better.
Um, it was, it was really a big eye-opener for me. And then kinda made me feel like I was in the right place.
Announcer: [00:01:50] Welcome to a healthy bite. You're one nibble closer to a more satisfying way of. A healthier you and bite size bits of healthy motivation. Now let's dig in on the dish with Rebecca Huff.
Rebecca: [00:02:08] I guess a lot of people who have flood damage from hurricanes need mold remediation. Is there a way to prevent mold or is it just inevitable that there's going to be mold if there's been a hurricane.
Michael: [00:02:21] Well, I guess the way that prevent mold would be a little bit different than, than hurricane for preparation, because, you know, unfortunately, you know what mother nature kind of dictates whether your house is going to have water intrusion or not.
And I think there's really no way to prevent against that. Obviously there's certain products they make now that are like hurricane rated and things like that are, that are, you know, tested again. Heavy winds and wind-driven rains, but essentially, you know, you have to deal with it as it comes. So if you have water intrusion that comes into the house, dealing with it properly would, would actually make sure that you keep mold away because mold can grow in as quickly as 24 to 48 hours.
So if you have a hurricane hit and someone doesn't come for a month later, you're at a disadvantage there. I think also making sure you have proper insurance coverage is key that you'd rather, you'd rather have it if you need it than not have it, if you need it. You know, I think that's kind of the, the, the adage that I like to go to because unfortunately for a lot of people, when I come to their house and something bad had happened, You know, they may not have enough coverage to deal with everything properly.
And I think that's. That's where people are kind of forced to cut corners and, unfortunately you're sacrificing your health when you cut corners with regards to environmental exposures.
Rebecca: [00:03:38] That is certainly a good point. Is the insurance. I know I've been there. We had a mold remediation done years and years ago in a different house
and our insurance didn't cover it. So it's definitely something to think about. But the thing is, and I want to back up a little bit, because I think a lot of people just, it's not some big event, like a hurricane or a flood or something that causes them to have mold in their house. A lot of people just don't even realize it's there until they get sick.
So can you tell us in your experience, obviously it is possible, but to have mold exposure and mold toxicity without being aware of, or having ever seen it in your environment?
Michael: [00:04:22] Yeah, actually that's kind of the scary thing, is I would say most people that I visit with. On the surface, the house looks fine.
They, you don't even really see mold. You may get like some weird odors or things like that. That can be other signals to detect if you have mold, but, you know, there's, it seems fine, right? The place is clean. You don't really see a lot of signs of water damage. It's, it's really behind the wall where the problem is not can make it a lot more, that can make it much more difficult to detect.
And that's why I kind of look at environmental exposure as a whole, because I would say. If you look at really any medical journal, you're going to find out the three common themes of illness are genetics, predispositions, and then environmental exposures. And so my job,
