The subject of mold toxins (mycotoxins) is becoming a regular feature of mold reports and claims made by lawyers. There is as much fiction as there is fact surrounding these chemical substances. 

I have been consulted on a number of lawsuits claiming that fewer than one hundred spores have caused ‘toxic’ injury to a client. A medical doctor who testified in one of these cases stated that he could pinpoint the exact date in years past when his client was exposed to the toxic mold. He never published his findings. (more…)

Before we shampoo and take the morning shower, we must first turn on the water. The problem begins here. Many municipal water districts inject chloramines into the water supply, instead of chlorine. Three forms of chloramines are created when chlorine is combined with ammonia (chlorine plus ammonia—an amine). The chloramines reacts with cells, whether they are bacterial or human. In contact with organic matter, such as human cells, they cause the formation of trihalomdethanes. (more…)

Carbon soot comes from a variety of combustion sources. These include fireplaces, water heaters, furnaces, pilot lights, smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, cooking byproducts, gas dryers, automobile exhaust, and fires in general. Other carbon-related particles come from the burning of plastics, and from roof and street tarring. An additional source of carbon soot—one people may not expect—is candles. In fact, a trend toward candle purchases has contributed to an increase in household soot. Candle technology, or the lack of it, is partly to blame for the problem. First, manufacturers tend to increase the amount of aroma in a candle. A common result is incomplete combustion and a rise in both soot and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When amateur candlemakers produce inferior-quality candles for the home, they can produce the same effects. (more…)

Although the symptoms are quite similar, allergies and the common cold are very different. Allergies are caused by an abnormal reaction against a normally harmless substance. The body reacts by releasing chemicals that bring about allergic symptoms. There are six major types of allergies: foods such as strawberries, nuts or shellfish, skin (contact dermatitis), seasonal allergy (pollen and mold), allergy to pharmaceuticals (medications such as penicillin), allergic responses to pet dander (skin cells and shed proteins from oil-producing glands and saliva),and allergic reactions to insect body parts, stings, bites, and feces.. All types have their own methods of triggering the body’s immune system. General symptoms include sneezing, difficulty breathing, itchy or watery eyes, congestion, continual coughing, and dizziness. Severe allergies may cause vomiting or rashes. (more…)