Week of October 30, 2023

1/ Avoiding exposure

QUESTION: I have heard to “teach mold avoidance.” How do I do that?

ANSWER: Here are a few key points to focus on:

ONE: Do your investigative work before you enter a new building. If it’s a building you enter often, run an ERMI or HERTSMI-2 Test if possible.

Whether you’re visiting a hotel, restaurant, family, friends, or having company in your home, always prepare as much as you can ahead of time. It often begins with calling the place you are visiting or your guests ahead of time and having clear communications about your situation. It’s also helpful to have someone go take a look ahead of time for you.

There are a few key points to cover during your initial conversation when visiting a new building:

Ask to speak with a manager, owner, maintenance supervisor or someone who is familiar with the building’s history.
Let them know you have strong physical symptoms and reactions to buildings that have had water intrusion damage.
Instead of asking if there’s mold (this can put them on the defense), ask 1/ how old the building is and 2/ if there’s been “water intrusion damage.” Examples include, plumbing problems, flooding, roof leaks, sprinkler system issues, to name a few.
Your best bet will be buildings that are under 12 years old. Nearly all buildings 20+ years have had some type of water damage. Find out the extent and if it was remediated to CIRS standards (typically not the case).
Also avoid buildings with water features, fountains, or open terrariums.
Without sounding critical, hold your ground and politely get all the facts you can and make an informed choice.

TWO: “Ask, Look, Smell” when you enter a new building. Assume a building is moldy until proven otherwise.

ASK… to speak to someone who knows the building history and ask them how old the building is and if there’s been water damage intrusion (see #1).

LOOK… around for evidence of water intrusion. Are there stained or discolored ceiling tiles, floors, or walls? Check the bathroom for grout and discoloration. Does the floor show buckling, or does the wallpaper show wrinkling? If you see any signs of water damage leave immediately, no more questions asked.

SMELL…when you’re nosing around be sure to notice any smells. If it smells musty it most likely is contaminated. Leave immediately!

Give it the 10-Minute Test… If the building passes the above initial tests, then give it 7-10 minutes to see if any symptoms develop. If you don’t have any signs of exposure at this point chances are the building is safe for you, but stay aware. Notice if any physical reactions start up while you remain in the building and in the week ahead.

If no symptoms arise within a week, then it is likely that the home or building is safe for you to visit.

What to do if symptoms show up:

If any symptoms appear at any time you are in the environment, leave as quickly as possible and take cholestyramine and Welchol for a week monitoring changes in symptoms.

Also, be sure to take note of the exact symptoms for future reference as they are typically reproduced each time you encounter a toxic environment. You will be able to recognize them quickly in the future.

Some common symptoms to pay attention to are: feeling nauseated, developing a headache, shortness of breath, coughing, a sore throat, or feeling “queasy” or just not feeling well.

If you remain ill beyond one week of treatment then it is time to involve your physician and obtain labs to document where you are.

When taking any protocol medications, always consult with your Shoemaker Practitioner first for accurate dosages and for the best course of action for you.

THREE: Ask your practitioner about taking CSM (or Welchol) before you go

Many patients elect to use low-dose cholestyramine or Welchol before venturing into a new environment. If this is your choice, it’s recommended to take it at least two hours before you go into the new building. Continue on Welchol or cholestyramine for another 72 hours to see if new symptoms appear. Symptoms can arise in just a few minutes or kick in later.

FOUR: Monitor what enters your Safe Spaces and Home.

Biotoxin fragments can enter your space via anything porous, including: Shoes, clothing, backpacks, purses, cardboard boxes, and paper bags.

It’s a common practice to set up changing rooms that are not attached to the space, where you can leave coats, shoes, backpacks or any clothes that have been in a new environment. This can also be an area to dispense of cardboard packing boxes and paper bags.

Use an ammonia-based cleaning product like Fantastic to clean any non-porous items before entering your space.

With the Protocol’s step focusing on VIP, and preventative use of VIP, many patients are finding they don’t have to be as strict about living in a biotoxin-free bubble. Each person will need to gauge their own level and the standards they need to live by in their safe spaces.

FIVE: Add Air Purification units and/or systems, plus frequently give your home a rigorous cleaning

Air Purification is a revolution for remediating and maintaining your safe spaces. Visit Air Oasis for units and systems tailored to eradicating the biotoxin fragments and particles that affect CIRS patients.

“Rigorous cleaning” includes dusting and/or vacuuming everything! Ceilings, walls, decorations, furniture, canned food items, you name it. Use ammonia-based cleaners, such as Fantastic.

Wash or shake out bedding. You may choose to encase your mattress in a plastic mattress casing, and the list goes on.

There are more precautions that can be taken throughout the home’s structure and many systems. Be sure to inspect the home frequently.

2/ List of Molds:

QUESTION: Is there a list of molds I need to stay away from. We have had our house tested but need a list.

ANSWER: It is the complex mixture of inflammagens and toxins found in water-damaged buildings.

See the 2015 Medical Consensus Statement found on the Surviving Mold website.

The HERTSMI-2 Test focuses on 5 organisms from the ERMI that cause CIRS reactions.

Using the results of the ERMI Environmental Test, your Practitioner can then evaluate the health effects on the patient using the HERTSMI-2 Scoring method. See the HERTSMI-2 SCORECARD available on the site for a quick reference to the 5 organisms.

3/Ozone:

QUESTION: We were sold an attachment to our ducts that has UV that produces ozone. Is opening the windows and ventilating the home enough to eliminate the ozone. If so, how long?

ANSWER: Yes, opening the window and ventilating the home for 20-minutes will eliminate ozone.

4/Glutamine

QUESTION: My physician wants me to take high doses of Glutamine powder for leaky gut. Does glutamate supplementation cause negative effects?

ANSWER: Over 95% of glutamine doesn’t leave the gut. I don’t recommend glutamine because your diet has huge amounts of glutamine in it.

5/ VIP:

QUESTION: Why is VIP taken in an inhaled form instead of as an injectable?

ANSWER: VIP is well absorbed and easier to administer via inhalation.

6/ Pediatric Stroke:

QUESTION: Could mold exposure lead to a stroke? In this case it is related to a 6-year old. Is there any research in this area related to mold exposure?

ANSWER: I am not familiar with published work on stroke due to CIRS in 6-year-olds. I agree with you there are many possibilities that could underly such a catastrophe. Given that this is a rare condition, research may be difficult to arrange.

7/ Dental work:

QUESTION: I had a tooth infection, which required a root canal nearly ten years ago. After that, I got sick with the flu, which I never recovered. I am convinced that it is related to the root canal. I was later diagnosed with CFS.

ANSWER: If you have cavitations found by a 3D Cone Beam, CT of the mandible and maxilla then a bacteria culture of the root canal should be done.