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Home / Get Rid of Black Spot Mold on Citrus Trees

Get Rid of Black Spot Mold on Citrus Trees

Have you been experiencing any stubborn, persistent symptoms lately that are seemingly unexplained? Does it seem like you have tried every over-the-counter medicine available to you and yet still get no relief?

You may be one of the many people unknowingly living with or working around mold including toxic black mold exposure.

Today I want to walk you through the signs and symptoms of mold exposure, your best treatment options, and how you can best prevent mold from growing inside your home.

Toxic Mold Signs and Symptoms of Mold Exposure

Many patients are unaware that their home or workplace could be the breeding ground to their symptoms. In fact, it's estimated that indoor pollutants, including toxic mold, are at a concentration of 2 to 5 times higher than that of the pollutants found outdoors and contributes to more than 50% of patients' illnesses! ( 1)

By far, the most common health issue caused by mold is allergy. Mold-related allergic reactions include: ( 2)

  • Coughing
  • Weezing
  • Red, itchy, and watery eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Rash

If you're someone who already has chronic or seasonal allergies, or suffers from a respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD, your allergic reaction to mold may be much more significant. These worsened allergic symptoms can cause: ( 3)

  • Persistent coughing
  • Frequent chest cold
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Sinus inflammation
  • Fatigue and lethargy

In cases of long-term toxic mold exposure, this may lead to more serious symptoms such as: 4

  • Poor memory and confusion
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Tingling and numbness in your hands and feet
  • Appetite swings and weight gain
  • Increased thirst
  • Hair loss
  • Metallic taste in your mouth
  • Abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea
  • Muscle cramps
  • Joint pain
  • Anxiety
  • Lightheadedness
  • Difficulty concentrating

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Mold Exposure?

Mold and other fungi are able to mutate rapidly, affecting your immune system and even preventing it from working altogether. This can ultimately cause long-lasting health issues with serious complications.

Some of the diseases related to long-term mold exposure are: 5

  • Bronchitis
  • Balkan nephropathy
  • Reye's syndrome
  • Kashin-Beck disease
  • Respiratory infections
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma

Is There a Treatment for Mold Exposure?

If you know you've been exposed to mold, I recommend the following steps:

  • Remove yourself from the environment where there is contamination.
  • Avoid being near porous items from the exposed area.
    • Clothes, paper, wood, etc.
    • Add MicroBalance Laundry each time you wash your clothes or any cloth materials. (I use it for every load!)
  • Use binders to bind internal mycotoxins in your body.
    • I recommend the Ultra Binder , Activated Charcoal , Upgraded Coconut Charcoal , and the GI Detox .
    • Use gentle laxatives, magnesium citrate, or buffered C powder to keep your bowels functioning normally while on binders. Constipation can prevent detoxification!
  • Test and be treated for candida overgrowth.
    • Common signs of this include yeast infections, oral thrush, and digestive issues.6
  • Get treated for colonizations of molds/fungi and bacterial infections in your body.
    • The most affected areas are sinuses, bladder, gut, lungs, and vagina.
  • Enhance your detoxification.
    • Supplements used to aid in detox include Glutathione Essentials , Silymarin, NAC 500, Glycine , Gut Calm Powder , Alpha Lipoic Acid , and Taurine .
  • Infrared saunas.
  • IV immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg).
  • Use SURFACE Guard, an enzyme mold stain cleaner, safely and effectively cleans mold stains on wood and other substrates – leaving behind a protective layer and slight citrus scent.
  • Invest in a high-quality air filter for your home and office.
    • I personally recommend the Healthmate Plus model from Austin Air. Call Amy at (303) 993-7910 to order!
  • Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT).
  • Take antifungal medications and herbs.
    • Dr. Jill Essential Oil and Caprylic Acid are two great options!
  • Avoid common foods that contain mycotoxins.
    • A few of these include corn, barley, wheat, peanuts, rye, cottonseed, chiles, spices, dried fruit, cocoa, bread, black pepper, and alcoholic beverages.

How Does Mold Grow?

Mold spores, which tend to be harmless on their own, float in the air and occur naturally both indoors and outdoors. We are always breathing them in!

The mold spores we encounter each day outside can attach themselves to people by landing on our clothes, bags, and shoes. They'll even hitch a ride on our pets! This gives the mold spores convenient access to our homes and workspaces when we go inside.

For these spores to grow into the mold we see in our homes, they need to land on moisture. A few examples of where mold may be encouraged to grow are : 7

  • Ceiling tiles
  • Walls
  • Carpet
  • Wet cellulose products (such as paper, wood, and fiberboard)

The most common types of mold found indoors are Penicillin, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus , and Stachybotrys chartarum (also referred to as toxic black mold). 8

Toxic black mold is dangerous and should be treated for removal immediately. It has a greenish-black color and appears wet or slimy, unless its water source has run out, then it may be dry and powdery. Black mold symptoms can include: (9)

  • Hemorrhage
  • Internal organ damage
  • Death, in some instances

How Should You Clean Mold?

Sometimes cleaning mold yourself makes sense, and sometimes it's highly discouraged.

First, let's look at some cases when cleaning mold yourself would be appropriate : 10

  • Only a small area is affected.
  • The mold is growing on areas that are easy to clean — like glass or tile.
  • There is growth on hard to clean areas, like carpet, that can be removed and replaced.
  • You don't have any current health issues that will be made worse with increased exposure to mold growth.

Call in an expert to clean the mold growth if:

  • An area 3 feet by 3 feet or larger is affected.
  • A flood occurred that may have been contaminated with sewage.
  • There is mold in your HVAC system.
  • The mold has grown on wood that cannot be removed.
  • You are already experiencing symptoms of mold exposure.
  • You have a medical condition, such as asthma, that will be worsened around the mold.
  • There is a smell of mold but you cannot find it.
  • You aren't in possession of the correct tools.
  • You have any concerns or doubts on how to remove the mold correctly.

If you believe that your mold growth is suitable to be removed by yourself, here are a few household products you can use : 11

  • Undiluted white vinegar.
  • Create a 50/50 mixture of water and ammonia. Spray and then rinse after three hours. Be sure to take proper safety precautions and wear a mask, gloves, and goggles.
  • Using EC3 Laundry Additive rinses away bacteria and mold spores that get trapped in your clothing and other fabrics that regular washing alone can't eliminate.
  • Try BioBalance for Natural, Citrus-Based Mold Remedies

Steps You Can Take to Prevent Mold Growth

As you read earlier, it's nearly impossible to prevent all mold growth since spores are always floating in the air. However, there are some steps you can take to discourage future growths : 12

  • Control the moisture by investing in a dehumidifier and keep humidity levels under 60%.
  • Dry wet spots quickly.
  • Keep areas prone to mold growth cleaned, disinfected, and dry.
  • Drain and unclog HVAC units regularly.
  • Fix leaks immediately.
  • Improve air flow by opening doors and moving furniture away from walls.
  • Keep your basement ventilated.
  • Leave your bathroom fan on for 30 minutes after showering.
  • Dry your bathtub or shower with a squeegee.
  • Clean shower curtains, towels, rugs, and loofahs regularly.
  • Open a window or turn on a fan while cooking.
  • Use MicroBalance Laundry additive for each load of laundry.

Need more guidance on mold treatment? Get my free download today and take the next step towards better health.

Check out my online health store for all the products listed in this article and more!

References:

  1. https://austinair.com/indoor-air-quality-explained/
  2. https://www.medicinenet.com/mold_exposure/article.htm#mold_facts
  3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323419.php
  4. https://www.healthline.com/health/black-mold-exposure#symptoms
  5. https://sanitred.com/symptoms-of-toxic-black-mold-exposure/
  6. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/candida-symptoms-treatment#section4
  7. https://www.cdc.gov/mold/stachy.htm#Q1
  8. https://www.survivingmold.com/mold-symptoms/molds-mycotoxins-more
  9. https://moldpedia.com/black-mold-stachybotrys#looklike
  10. https://www.mold-advisor.com/do-it-yourself-mold-removal.html
  11. https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-get-rid-of-mold/9ba683603be9fa5395fab907c52351c
  12. https://aerindustries.com/blog/2018/11/20/how-to-stop-mold-growth/

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The product mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.   The information in this article is not intended to replace any recommendations or relationship with your physician.  Please review references sited at end of article for scientific support of any claims made.

Author: Dr. Jill C. Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

https://molddetoxbox.com/

Dr. Jill is Your Functional Medicine Expert! She uses functional medicine to help you find answers to the cause of your illness and addresses the biochemical imbalances that may be making you feel ill. She'll help you search for underlying triggers contributing to your illness through cutting edge lab testing and tailor the intervention to your specific needs as an individual. She may use diet, supplements, lifestyle changes or medication to treat your illness but will seek the most gentle way to help your body restore balance along with the least invasive treatment possible. Dr. Jill is a functional medicine expert consultant and treats environmental and mold-related illness as well

Get Rid of Black Spot Mold on Citrus Trees

Source: https://www.jillcarnahan.com/2015/02/08/toxic-mold-exposure-cause-symptoms/