Can Mold Allergy Make you Sick?
Aspergillus, Clandosporium, Alternaria, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Nigrospora are funny sounding words that probably have little or no meaning to you, unless you are a microbiologist. However, to people who suffer from some very unusual and sometimes severe symptoms these names are very important. These are the names of molds - microscopic organisms - that pose more of a health problem to humans than any health expert ever imagined.
For years, most health care practitioners have expected mold allergies to cause the usual reactions. Runny noses, coughs, and itchy eyes or skin. Actually, molds cause many more health problems, which may be very debilitating. According to the National Asthmatic Association, molds are listed as the number one cause of asthma.
Recently, I have seen patients in my office complaining of flu-like symptoms that do not respond to either traditional or alternative treatments. Besides these symptoms, I have seen patients with reoccurring sinus infections. Some of these patients suffer with as many as six or seven sinus infections each year. Other ailments have been muscle aches, sinus pain, joint pain, fever, and in some, chronic skin itching or hives. When treated for mold allergy, their symptoms would disappear completely, or dramatically improve.
I was surprised to find these patients were very sensitive to molds. Their treatment was based on eliminating mold sensitivity. This was done through dietary changes and supplementation. Food selection was based partially on blood type. Foods that can trigger a mold reaction were also eliminated.
The first and foremost food that needs to be eliminated is sugar. I know that this sounds like sugar bashing, but when people ate sugar their symptoms became worse. There are other foods that can cause these flu-like symptoms. They are fermented cheeses, i.e., Cheddar, Swiss, Rroquefort, Brie, Gorgonzola, etc. Usually soft cheeses like cream cheese, mozzarella, and ricotta are acceptable. Other foods to eliminate are: vinegar, red wine, mushrooms, Chinese food, dried fruit, fruit juice, peanuts and peanut butter, and pistachio nuts. It is a good idea to be careful with leftovers. When left for even a few days, foods can develop molds. Try to eat food that is as fresh as possible. Removal of all of these foods is essential until the mold allergy can be neutralized. With the proper nutritional support and diet, patients were able to begin to feel better, and by utilizing homeopathic desentizing drops, their allergy can be dramatically reduced or eliminated completely.
I believe that these mold allergies show just how important diet can be when dealing with environmental allergies. These patients showed me a symptoms of mold allergy that I had never seen or read about before. An allergy causing the same symptoms as an infecting microorganism. Sounds a little scary, but I wonder just how many people are being unsuccessfully treated for an upper respiratory infection, when in fact, their symptoms were being produced by an allergic reaction. Being aware of this possibility can avoid repeated anti-biotic therapy which may lead to more immune problems, and a proliferation of yeasts and fungi in the intestinal tract.
Why has this problem recently surfaced?
Due to abnormally high mold counts last year more people are reacting to molds. Their symptoms can be hives, rashes, headache, memory lapse, muscle ache, joint pain, ear ache, sore throat, and others.
Why is mold allergy on the rise, and why are the reactions so severe?
The main reason is the weather. Mold counts have been very high because the past few winters - especially in the Northeast - have been abnormally mild. Normally once the first frost occurs, most of the outdoor mold is killed off. During a normal winter consistent frigid weather makes it very difficult for the molds to reproduce. Due to the recent mild winters, molds have been able to maintain reasonable growth levels during the winter months. When the warmer weather arrives, mold spore levels increase dramatically.
More and more people have come to me exhibiting mold allergies, some for the first time in their lives. Molds are found in the soil, the air, on trees, buildings, interior walls, molds love particle board, fences, almost anything that is slightly porous and that does not receive enough sunlight that can provide a drying effect. Many people have mold growing in their homes. Damp cellars, attics, or exterior/interior walls can prove to be a breeding ground for molds.
If you find that you do not feel well after being in a particular part of your home, regardless of the symptoms, it is important to consider that your symptoms may in fact be a reaction to molds.
Another tip-off is not feeling particularly well prior to the arrival of humid or rainy weather.
While your reaction to mold may be quite severe, my natural therapy is very effective, and in many cases relief is obtained very quickly.
One of the best substances that I have found for treating mold allergy is Quercitin. Part of the bioflavonoid family, Quercitin possess very powerful anti-histamine properties. It blocks an enzyme from producing histamine. By taking Quercitin throughout the day you can begin to minimize the effects of mold sensitivities. Combining that with the dietary restrictions listed above, your sensitivity to molds can eventually disappear. The form of Quercitin that I found to work best is in a product called Querciplex.
For further information about mold allergy, please call my office at 914-939-3621.
Posted
by Dr. Steven Felder
