If you have read my other posts, you should know I do not think chlorine should be used anywhere around humans and pets for any reasons. Although Chlorine has been used in swimming pools for decades, it does not mean it is safe. This is also true for Chloramines. Chloramines have to be removed from tap water that will be used in aquariums, because it is toxic to fish! Yet they put it in our drinking water and say it is safe to drink....    Ocular and Respiratory Illness / Indoor Swimming Pools   On December 26, 2006, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) received a report of a child hospitalized in an intensive care unit for severe chemical epiglottitis and laryngotracheobronchitis after swimming in an indoor motel swimming pool. The pool was inspected the same day and immediately closed by NDHHS because of multiple state health code violations. NDHHS initiated an outbreak investigation to identify additional cases and the cau...

  Often clients relay they or their children have asthma. I also had a client that worked in a maintenance department that complained of "asthma like symptoms". His desk was in the basement of a building which was infected with mold. Often we hear of complaints of allergy symptoms from our clients. Often these same clients will report their allergy symptoms diminishing or completely going away once the mold issue is properly addressed.   This should not be a surprise since molds are directly related to pulmonary illnesses.  2006 Journal Occupational Environmental Medical Study - 80% likelihood of finding an asthmatic child in the home when  ERMI >1 value was determined.   Last year I received a call from a gentleman in Boston that had sewage backup into his basement. The sewage level was almost 1ft. high. He also stated that his young son had developed asthma over the past year. Is it related to the sewage problem? Let me break it down for you. The sewage...

  How many times have you opened up your fridge to find mold has grown on your food? Every year, the average family throws away hundreds of dollars in "spoiled" food due to mold. The average commercial kitchen can throw away thousands of dollars a year. One way to avoid molds in your refrigerator is to treat your produce gently, Molds love bruises.    Food Molds    The bluish-green molds that grow on breads and on acidic fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, for example, belong to the Penicillium family. Some penicilliums can produce unsavory mycotoxins like ochratoxin , but many others seem to be benign. Some of these molds produce toxic chemicals, known as mycotoxins . The same goes for the molds that will form on cheeses. Most of the toxins they produce are unstable or can be removed by trimming. The bottom line is that if you carefully trim away mold on firm fruits and vegetables and hard cheeses, and if you throw away soft foods and dairy products wi...

  As time goes on and the study of mycology advances we are seeing more and more evidence of "mold" related afflictions. We see humans, animals and insects all suffer from the diabolical nature of "mold". Given my vocation, I often wonder on how my 20+ years of exposure to mold with affect my future health. You are what you eat. Treat your body well, give it clean vibrant foods as often as you can. Stop drinking alcohol and eating processed foods and foods with sugar. MS Definition (as defined by the national ms society) - Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS).  The CNS is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. So, does the definition of MS coincide with the scientific research involving mycotoxins? "Future research should be directed at treating the disease as if it were caused by fungi and their devastating myco...

  If allergies are making your life unbearable, it could be the microbes in your gut.   Typically a healthy body can resist pathogenic attacks on a daily basis. When we have chronic symptoms such as allergies, our body is telling us there is a problem.  I hear this following statement from people all the time in regards to allergies and their habitual use of OTC allergy medications "my doctor said I'm just more susceptible to pollen" But why? Why is your condition now chronic? The Study Scientists from the University of Michigan Medical School presented findings from studies involving mold and laboratory mice. Results showed that antibiotics might be responsible for producing changes in microbes in the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn could impact the way the immune system responds to common allergens in the lungs.  They claim antibiotic use eliminated bacteria in the gut, which enabled fungi to take control until the bacteria grew back after antibiotics use was...

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, although distinguished by well-known characteristics, are collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). IBD is characterized by a host of symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, rectal bleeding, weight loss, fever, and a host of extra-intestinal symptoms, including disorders of the eyes, liver, gallbladder, muscles and joints, kidneys, and skin. The treatments usually focus on relief of symptoms with anti-inflammatory drugs or surgery (i.e. removal of the affected part of the intestines).    The cause of IBD remains "unknown." Some have implicated a viral etiology to IBD. In the medical journal The Lancet, Dr. Wakefield and colleagues found that three of four offspring in mothers that had measles during pregnancy developed severe Crohn’s later in life. Of note is that recurrent antibiotic-resistant pneumonia preceded the Crohn’s in every case. This is important because antibiotics are known to increase the risk of fun...

  Why does my AC unit smell musty? This is one of the most frequently asked questions during the summer months. Most people are referring to the removable, window-mount units. The answer is quite simple.   Mold requires three things in order to grow: 1. Organic material. 2. Moisture (water) 3. Oxygen   Over time the AC unit will collect dust, dander, dirt and other material that may contain organic material inside the housing. So, you now have 1 of the 3 needed. There is Oxygen in the air. Now we have 2 of the 3. The AC unit is one big condenser which produces moisture. Now we have 3 of the 3 needed. So, it is just a matter of time before mold and bacteria are growing in you AC unit. Although the means of contamination is different, this is common with all AC systems, including residential and commercial HVAC systems. Treatment Window-Mount - We offer services to address mold in these units, however the prices of new units are so inexpensive, unless you had...