Got Mold? Take Back Your House and Health
- Gut Honest Truth
- Apr 18, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 21
The answer might surprise you...
Welcome to the Gut Honest Truth blog where a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner gives you digestible information to tackle your chronic health concerns.
That's me, Katie Morra; and in this blog I'm going to break down what mold toxicity actually is, how exposure happens, how to test your home and body, and what to do about it.
And as always, working one-on-one for your specific needs is always our top recommendation, check out our appointment options to get started with one of our licensed health care professionals today.
What Is Mold?
Mold is a classification of organisms — including molds, mushrooms, and yeasts — that produce mycotoxins: naturally occurring toxic compounds that pose significant health risks when chronically exposed. Mold illness can present on a spectrum from mild flu-like symptoms to debilitating fatigue that disrupts daily life.
Critically, mold can't always be seen by the naked eye. Spores spread through air and surfaces, often accumulating in hidden places — inside walls, under floors, in HVAC systems — long before any visible growth appears.
Symptoms of Mold Toxicity
Mold illness mimics so many other conditions that it frequently gets missed entirely. Common symptoms include:
Poor memory, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating
Fatigue and weakness
Headaches
Muscle cramps and joint pain or stiffness
Shortness of breath, sinus congestion, or chronic cough
Anxiety and mood swings
Sensitivity to light
Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
Increased thirst and urinary frequency
Appetite changes and weight gain
Metallic taste in the mouth
Vertigo or lightheadedness
Skin infections or rashes
Allergic reactions and asthma
Immunosuppression
Nausea and vomiting
Static shocks
If you're dealing with multiple symptoms from this list and haven't been able to find a clear explanation, mold deserves serious consideration.
How Do You Get Exposed?
Inhalation — The most common route. Mold spores and mycotoxins circulate through the air of contaminated homes, offices, schools, or other buildings.
Skin absorption — Direct contact with mold-contaminated surfaces.
Ingestion — At least 1 in 4 crops have some level of fungal contamination. Foods worth being mindful of: cereals, coffee (swap for Purity Coffee — mycotoxin-tested and one of our favorites), beer, dried fruits, nuts, spices, and cocoa.
Where Does Mold Live?
Mold can grow on virtually any organic material:
Paper, cardboard, wood
Fabric, carpet, drywall
Mattresses and bedding
Washers and dryers
Air conditioners and HVAC systems
The most dangerous mold is often the mold you can't see — growing behind walls, under flooring, or circulating silently through your ventilation system.
How Does Mold Spread?
Moisture — The single biggest driver. If you've had a leaking roof, broken pipe, or flooding, get your home assessed for mold as soon as possible — even waiting a day can make a significant difference in how far it spreads. Remove wet carpets immediately and bring in a professional remediation team.
Condensation — When warm indoor air hits a cooler surface like windows, condensation forms. This moisture creates an environment where mold can take hold. Products specifically designed to reduce window condensation are worth considering.
Humidity — If you live in a humid climate, aim to keep indoor humidity at or below 50% using a dehumidifier. Anything above that creates conditions where mold thrives.
HVAC systems — Don't neglect regular cleaning and maintenance of your heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. They can literally circulate mold spores throughout your entire home.
Home Additions Worth Making
Air filtration: The Austin Air Healthmate removes up to 99.97% of airborne contaminants including mold spores. We also recommend the Air Doctor. Get one on every floor you spend significant time on.
House plants: English ivy, spider plants, peace lily, palm plants, and orchids all offer an additional layer of mold defense and air purification.
Coffee swap: Purity Coffee is our recommendation for a mycotoxin-free cup — third-party tested and one of our affiliate products.
Infrared sauna: Supports the body's natural ability to mobilize and detox mycotoxins through sweat.
For more on reducing your overall toxic burden at home, read our post: 4 Ways to Improve Your Home's Hygiene
Testing Your Home for Mold
EMMA Test (Environmental Mold & Mycotoxin Assessment) Provided by Real Time Labs. Uses molecular detection technology to identify the 10 most toxigenic molds and tests directly for 16 of the most dangerous mycotoxins. Requires only a small dust or filter sample. Learn more here.
ERMI Test (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) Developed by the EPA. Analyzes settled dust using mold-specific quantitative PCR (MSQPCR) to quantify 36 mold species and calculate an index compared to a national database. Learn more here.
Helpful resources:
What Is an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP)?
An Indoor Environmental Professional specializes in indoor environmental assessments related to environmentally acquired illness. They work with patients, healthcare providers, homeowners, landlords, and architects to identify and address environmental concerns.
When hiring one, look for these credentials:
ACAC — American Council for Accredited Certification
CIH — Certified Industrial Hygienist
NORMI — National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors
AIHA — American Industrial Hygiene Association
CSP — Certified Safety Professionals
Testing Your Body for Mycotoxins
Identifying mold in your home is only half the equation. At GHT, we use a urine provocation test to assess what mycotoxins are actually accumulating in your body — giving us specific, actionable data about what's most problematic for you individually.
From there, we build a targeted detox support protocol alongside environmental remediation recommendations — not just lifestyle tips, but a clinical approach to actually clearing the toxic burden so your body can heal.
Mold illness is one of the most underdiagnosed root causes of chronic fatigue, gut dysfunction, hormone imbalances, thyroid issues, and skin conditions we see. If you've tried everything and still aren't well, mold is worth ruling out.
Comments