The Case: Jena is 35 who recently moved across the country. Since then, she’s experienced sinus issues, brain fog, dizziness, and fatigue. Her GP sent her to specialists who did countless test but they couldn’t figure out what was going on. The Investigation Jena knew there was something going on even though all of the doctors and tests revealed nothing. When she came to me, we looked at a bunch of possible causes that the specialists may have missed. But, when she told me that she’d recently moved into an apartment where they had recently repaired some water damage, I knew we had our first clue to the real cause of her problems. Mold can cause a great deal of health issues, even if you can’t see it. Evan Brand knows this from personal experience. Now, he’s made it his mission to reveal just how prevalent and harmful mold can be to our health. Evan is a Clinical Nutritionist who has been studying the effects of mold on the brain and body. His interest came about when he discovered that exposure to mold was the root cause for his own personal health mystery. With his research as well as the clinical work he’s doing with his clients, Evan has joined a handful of experts on this topic in America. I was excited to share Jena’s case with him and find out more about mold in our environment and food supply. The List of Potential Symptoms is Extensive When mold is present in an environment, it releases ‘mycotoxins’. If a significant amount of mycotoxins enter the body, it can cause a wide range of symptoms including anxiety to heart palpitations to depression to anger and irritability to insomnia, blood pressure problems, cold hands, cold feet, dizziness and vertigo. He says some people have experienced tremors or twitching which could lead to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Mycotoxins Have an Affinity for the Cerebellum Many different types of mycotoxins attack the cerebellum which is a part of the brain. This area of the brain is responsible for spatial navigation. This is why people with mycotoxins in their body may find themselves dragging their feet, twitching, experiencing vertigo or feeling dizzy like Jena was.   It’s Not Just Black Mold Most people know that black mold in a home is unhealthy but when they don’t see black mold, they think their home is fine. As Evan explains, there are a variety of different molds (some that are hard to spot) that can give off mycotoxins. Myth: Mold Causes Allergies or Sinus Problems Many people who are affected by mycotoxins from mold do not experience any allergy-type symptoms, sinus issues, or breathing problems. There are many ways that mycotoxins present so people should be aware that an absence of typical sinus-related issues does not mean that mold is not the cause of health issues. Mycotoxins Can Also be Ingested Inhalation of mycotoxins (usually from being in a moldy building) is the number one issues but we can also ingest mold and their byproduct; mycotoxins. Mold on foods is often not visible. The most common carriers of mycotoxins are grains (corns, rice, wheat), peanuts, coffee, chocolate, and wine (grapes)). And, Evan believes that as GMO foods become more prevalent, the risk of mold infections increases. How to Test for Environmental Mold in Your Home The gold standard for testing your home or office for mold or the presence of mycotoxins is called the ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index). This is where a sample of the air is collected. Evan feels that this is not the most accurate test. Instead, he recommends doing a ‘plate test’ which can be acquired from Immunolytics Labs (see below for links). These can be used to test your home, your office or even your car - wherever you are spending a significant amount of time. Testing for Mycotoxins in the Body Determining levels of mycotoxins in your body requires a specific urine test. Evan recommends also doing an organic acid test just to see the full picture of fungal metabolites at play. This test can be r