Week of July 1, 2024
1/ CSM, running errands:
QUESTION: Is it helpful to be quick inside a grocery store. There are some places I am just not sure about and I still have to run errands. Can I pre-order for pickup and run into a store quickly?
ANSWER: Yes, you can run inside quickly as it takes about 10-minutes for exposure to hurt you. Some patients are even more sensitive, so be aware of your limits.
Many patients also use CSM as a proactive measure if they know they are trying out a new environment or going on vacation. Always consult with a Shoemaker Protocol™ practitioner or Protocol-informed physician before administering CSM during recovery or for maintenance use.
Learn more about CSM in Dr. Shoemaker’s CSM learning module.
Or get an overview for using CSM preventatively in the Surviving Mold article, “Guidelines for Preventing Exposure”
https://www.survivingmold.com/legal-resources/community/guidelines-for-preventing-exposure-through-the-holidays-and-always
2/ Essential oils:
QUESTION: Does washing clothes with Tea Tree essential oil have any efficacy for killing mold?
ANSWER: No, Tea Tree essential oil has no efficacy for killing mold. The first concept to understand is that the particulates causing CIRS in a moldy environment are not alive. Remediation and cleaning processes are designed to eradicate and remove the biotoxins.
In general, a standard machine wash is adequate. It doesn’t require special cleaning substances. Standard detergents are fine to use. If you are sensitive to detergents, the first choice would be to find one with minimal additives or fragrances.
We have no conclusive data on essential oils effectively removing mold toxins, but some patients have used them for basic cleaning without ill effects. If tea tree is the only cleaning agent you tolerate, you will need to be willing to test it out and see how it works for you (and your clothes!).
3/ Alcohol
QUESTION: I am on CSM and the Protocol. I would like to have an occasional alcoholic beverage while on vacation. Is there any harm?
ANSWER: Alcohol can be consumed in moderation without risk for CIRS patients in general. That being said, there are exceptions and patients with food sensitivities who feel better on the no-amylose diet and eliminating the grains and gluten that can be found in some types of alcohol, or they find they feel better abstaining from alcohol. To note, there are allergies or sensitivities to alcohol (and substances that make up alcohol like sulfites), which are not attributed to being symptoms of CIRS.
4/ Remediation:
QUESTION: How does one remediate a home with no visible mold? Is the high ERMI due to high home humidity? Does everything need to be discarded?
ANSWER: If you need to remediate your home due to CIRS sensitivity, you will want to start by reading the IEP Consensus Statement paper on remediation on the Surviving Mold website. Don’t gloss over the details when it comes to remediation, be thorough and consistent. This paper will provide a detailed look at what’s ahead.
The biotoxins of a moldy environment are pervasive and can be hiding in any number of places. You don’t have to see it to have a mold problem. It can be in ducts, under carpeting, in AC spaces, in ceiling tiles or insulation, and the list goes on.
The remediation process will require locating the source of the water-damage problem, fixing it, and remediating all affected areas. Typically the biotoxins will have infiltrated the entire home and a thorough remediation will need to take place. As an overview, remediation will include cleaning out all affected housing areas. It’s not uncommon for the moldy environment to spread beyond the immediate affected area and fragments to circulate through the entire home. It also includes discarding all porous items, or finding effective remediation techniques on valuable items worth restoring. Non-porous items need to be effectively cleaned. Clothing items can be machine washed, but other porous items such as large drapes or pillows, mattresses, couches, carpeting… and all paper or cardboard products typically need to be tossed out. Keep in mind this is a very brief overview.
Relocating to a new home is another possibility. Of course, the new home will need to be tested and proven CIRS safe. Newer homes have the best chance of not having water damage. Look for potential water-damage problem areas as well, and proactively reconstruct as needed.
It will also be helpful to look at the Surviving Mold Membership Q&A Volumes available for purchase on the Surviving Mold website. You will find questions about remediation you never thought to ask, and more!
It will also be helpful to check out the resources by environmental remediation specialist Greg Weatherman available on the Surviving Mold site or on his site, Surviving Remediation.
High humidity can be a factor, but it’s not the only one, or even the most common one. To determine humidity levels, use a moisture meter and determine how high the levels actually are. If you are concerned high humidity levels are the source of a moldy environment, test the environment with an ERMI or HERSTMI-2 test.
5/ Outdoor Air:
QUESTION: Does opening windows allow spores in from the outside or is it a good idea to open windows to get fresh air? I am thinking this would remove mold from the air?
ANSWER: Yes, opening the windows means mold spores and biotoxin particulates can find their way into the home. And no, mold is not removed from the air by coming inside the building from the outside. The air simply becomes a carrier for it and it can accumulate in the home.
If you are very CIRS-sensitive, it is best to keep the windows shut. Now with use of VIP in treatment, many patients are able to live with less sensitivity. If you have found you aren’t in the highly sensitive category after treatment, you could experiment with keeping windows open along with frequent rigorous cleaning practices and good air filtration systems in place.
6/ Opening windows
QUESTION: Does opening windows increase the indoor humidity and potential for creating a moldy environment?
ANSWER: If you choose to open windows and find it tolerable, opening windows will keep the humidity levels similar to that of the outdoors. Dehumidifiers help with humidity levels in general, but you’ll have to try it out with windows open. It will most likely be less effective, but may still have some effect.
Also to note, CIRS/mold illness is caused from indoor water damage in both humid and dry environments. If the moldy biotoxins are present due to water damage, humidity may help them flourish. Humidity levels would have to be quite high to create the water-damaged environment on their own.
7/ Environmental Testing
QUESTION: My home was tested for mold and the report showed that the air quality for mold on all four levels of the 1600 Sq. Ft home was better then the outdoor controlled sample and the visual inspection showed no sign of mold other than behind a sealed baseboard. I don’t understand any of this.
ANSWER: I suggest you do an ERMI and/or HERTSMI-2 and never rely on air sampling. The HERTSMI-2 scorecard on site will analyze the report for unsafe/safe levels of environmental biotoxins in the home.
8/ VCS testing
QUESTION: Is it true that column E on the VCS will change if you use cigarettes, alcohol, organic compounds or socioeconomic status?
ANSWER: No. There is no data or research to support these findings, nor have they proven true with the data we’ve accumulated over the years.
9/ QUESTION: I had eye surgery and have mono vision. Can I do the VCS testing?
ANSWER: Yes, you can do the VCS test. Use your good eye.
10/ QUESTION: My vision can be corrected to better than 50/50 with glasses however, I have a lazy eye and it is weak. Will it affect the test?
ANSWER: Only use the good eye for best results.
11/ QUESTION: I would like to do a VCS on my 3.5-year-old son. Is the VCS reliable on this age?
ANSWER: The visual access of contrast has not matured adequately to do VCS on a 3.5-year-old. A few 6-year-olds can do VCS; usually 8–9-year-old is the youngest we can rely on VCS.
12/ Treatment for those without genetic susceptibility
Q: If I passed the online VCS, I guess that means I probably do not have mold gene, is that right? Is the treatment the same if you have the mold gene or not?
A: You cannot conclude genetics through the VCS. The online eye test has an 8% false positive rate. If you are questioning the results and your symptoms check out, you can follow up with a Shoemaker Protocol™ Practitioner and a handheld VCS test in office, and/or begin the next diagnostic tests and labs in the Protocol which will confirm if you are experiencing the effects of CIRS, or not.
People without the gene can also get sick from repeated exposure to heavily water-damaged building interiors. Yes, the testing pathway and, if necessary, the treatment steps for all patients will follow the Shoemaker Protocol™, with or without genetic susceptibility.
