How to eliminate and recover from black mould
With the current La Nina weather system we’ve experienced more rain in 3 days in parts of Australia than we would normally get in a whole year. We’ve had severe flooding leading to destruction of property and loss of human and animal life.
It has been nothing short of a disaster!!
Even if you weren’t directly impacted by flooding, the excessive rain may have left you and your family exposed to harmful mould.
With this level of moisture, fungus and mould are thriving. At Switch Nutrition we think it is important to address these concerns before it turns into one or more of the following issues.
- Fatigue and weakness
- Headache
- Light sensitivity
- Poor memory, difficulty finding words
- Difficulty concentration
- Morning stiffness, joint pain
- Mood swings
- Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
- Shortness of breath
- Sinus congestion, or chronic cough
- Appetite swings
- Body temperature dysregulation
- Increased urinary frequency or increased thirst
- Red eyes, blurred vision
- Sharp pains or Abdominal pains, diarrhea, bloating
- Disorientation
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Static shocks
- Vertigo, feeling lightheaded
Longer term exposure can lead to autoimmune issues, early onset dementia, hormonal dysregulation and chronic liver and skin conditions.
The liver and skin are often the worst hit as they try to detox the mould and mycotoxins from your body. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by mould that are more toxic than heavy metals because they affect more systems of the body. Mycotoxins also can evade the immune system, rapidly mutate and produce toxic chemicals that suppress your immune system.
You need to focus on 2 phases…
STEP 1: Elimination or Avoidance
- Ventilation – Opening windows and doors to allow dry air to flow through the affected area and dry it out. Turn on extractor fans and open windows in the bathroom and shower to reduce the chance of mould build up. Using fans internally to circulate the air.
- Air Conditioner – Air conditioners are generally very effective at reducing humidity and moisture. Most have settings to dry out moist spaces.
- Air purifier – This may help reduce bacterial, viral and fungal spores in the home. It’s like having a water filter for your air.
- Cleaning – Clove oil, baking soda mixed in vinegar, tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract in water and hydrogen peroxide are all great natural mould killing options. There are some chemical options available (like bleach) that may be needed for more aggressive mould.
- Removal – Often black mould and other mycotoxins grow in the walls where rainwater has pooled due to excessively bad weather. Sometimes this isn’t visible and getting an expert to detect mould and remove it may be essential.
- Ozone – You can use an ozone machine to kill or denature mould. There are companies like AMC Ozone that will come to your home and provide a professional treatment.
- Sunlight – If you have mould on the surface of something that can be left out in direct sunlight, that can help deactivate the mould and kill the spores.
- Move – Relocating from the exposure is not always easy but sometimes necessary.
STEP 2: Recovery from Exposure (Detoxification)
Boosting Glutathione is the best way to support your recovery from mould exposure and to detox your body of the mycotoxins.
Glutathione is the master antioxidant of the body that upregulates NRF2 pathways and supports Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification.
Glutathione is also responsible for reducing inflammation (which is often associated with mould exposure) and reducing oxidation (tissue damage).
How do we boost glutathione, support immune response and detoxify from mould?
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) along with glutamine and glycine are the three precursor amino acids needed to make glutathione endogenously (internally). NAC is generally the limiting factor, but it can’t hurt to increase your glycine intake through collagen and glutamine at the same time.
NAC is widely regarded as the best liver detoxifier as it works to support the liver directly and indirectly through the upregulation of Glutathione. To read more about NAC read our blog here.
Consume 600 – 1200mg of NAC daily or as advised by your healthcare provider.
QUERCETIN is a bright yellow powerful plant flavonoid that has antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. It helps upregulate glutathione production but needs NAC and Vitamin C to support this process.To learn more about Quercetin read our blog here.
Quercetin also helps reduce mast cell degranulation leading to a reduction in histamine and reduces allergy symptoms that could be associated with mould exposure.
Consume 500 – 1000mg daily or as advised by your healthcare provider.
VITAMIN C is also essential to support Glutathione production and recycle quercetin. It may also enhance the absorption of NAC leading to greater detoxification.
Consume 500 – 1000mg daily or as advised by your healthcare provider.
ZINC has long been considered an immunity boosting vitamin and is often consumed with vitamin C to support immune response. Essentially it will be your immune system that deactivates the mould and kills it off allowing your body to detoxify from it.
15 – 50mg daily or as advised by your healthcare provider. Please note: you may have multiple supplements that contain zinc and you should consider all sources.
VITALITY SWITCH is loaded with antioxidants, antivirals, antifungals and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Some ingredients like oregano and rosemary are known effective mould fighters or ingredients like Matcha Green Tea are powerful NRF2 up regulators that support detoxification and reduce inflammation.
This diverse superfood formula has an abundance of multifactorial benefits that may help support your health and recovery from mould exposure.
Consume 1-2 servings a day or as advised by your healthcare provider.
Remember quality sleep is critical for detoxification as most of your toxic clearance occurs at night. Melatonin (sleep hormone produced by our pineal gland) activates Glutathione peroxidase which clears the body of mould and other toxins. Using a product like ADRENAL SWITCH before bed may help to support sleep cycles leading to optimised melatonin and greater health and recovery. For 10 helpful tips on how to sleep better read our blog here.
Consume 1 serving of powder 1-2 hours before bed or 1 serving of capsules 30 mins before bed or as advised by your healthcare provider.
Prevention is the best cure which means using some of the elimination strategies above before you get mould and consider certain supplements at maintenance dosages to support a healthy and robust immune and detoxification system. Mould may not be the only pathogen or toxin that you will be exposed to and supporting your health daily may make a big difference. To learn more about amplifying your immune function read our blog.
For more information on the above ingredients or products please discuss with your health care provider to make sure they are right for you.
