Mould + your health

 


I’ve just spoken over on Instagram about the issue of drying your clothes inside and how that can contribute to mould, and I feel like I need to give a little more context, so let’s go…

First of all, full disclosure - I dry my clothes inside sometimes (I do it because I have a billion children and the dryer takes quite a while to dry one load!) but I’m consciously trying to do it less, so there’s less moisture in the air for mould to grow.

I want you to think about what happens when your clothes dry… the water is evaporated and where does it go… is it the curtains, the couch, the carpet…?

After the flooding and unprecedented rainfall we’ve experienced in parts of Australia in 2022, we’re left with a major issue - mould.

Boy is it having an impact on our health. People are finding mould in their kitchen cupboards, on their clothes, in the carpet… in all kinds of new places due to the moisture.


Mould exposure is a NOW a key issue I’m seeing on a daily basis with patients. People are often have new or exacerbated allergies, sinus issues, asthma, headaches, migraines, skin issues, and even brain fog or anxiety, and a key consideration is their environment + mould. There’s also a number of unexplained symptoms people are sharing with me, such as random nose bleeds.

Before we chat about the health implications or mould exposure for some people, we need to look at mould. Essentially mould itself isn’t bad. It’s completely natural - it’s in the air we breath. Mould spores are everywhere, on every surface in your home.

Mould and our health


BUT when it’s in the right environment (moisture) it can thrive. And then it releases mycotoxins, which contribute to immune issues, mast cell activation + a histamine response, which drives those symptoms of congestion, allergies and respiratory issues.

Mycotoxins reside in the gut, and affect our gut lining (our protective barrier), and enables undigested molecules and toxins through the gut wall into the bloodstream, which drives an immune response. There’s some research to show that mycotoxins can reduce bile, which affects our body’s ability to breakdown fat and eliminate waste material.

As you can see, mould isn’t just a cleaning job for a Saturday - it’s so much bigger than that. Mould has the power to cause a number of inflammatory, digestive, immune, hormone and neurological issues/dysfunction.

A few tips for reducing mould in your home

  • Identify mould. You can start with looking and smelling for mould. (You may need a building biologist or mould testing technician for this if you have unexplained symptoms or you’re not getting results with your health practitioner, as mould can be hidden, and they can do a simple test for the mould count in your house, and then address it), but let’s start with what you can do right now - look and smell.

  • Limit your clothes drying inside. Dry your clothes outside in the sun or use a dryer. If you’re drying your clothes inside, put them in a small room (that has minimal fabric like curtains and carpet) such as the laundry or bathroom and open the windows, turn the fan on and put the dehumidifier in there. Keep the door closed of the room they’re drying in.

  • Use a dehumidifier to take moisture out of the air and keep humidity low.

  • Open up your house - get those windows open, every day.

  • Use a fan every time you have a shower/bath.

  • Use Himalayan salt lamps, as they’re natural dehumidifiers.

Need more support?

If you’re after personalised support with your health concerns/symptoms or to look at specific tests like the OAT test or a mycotoxin exposure test, which is a urine test I refer some people to do through NutriPATH to get ANSWERS, then create a personalised plan, you can reach out to for a consultation.

There’s options to match your health needs, budget and goals.

You can book in for a 1:1 telehealth/clinic-based consultation here.

 
Olivia McFadyen