What’s involved with Detoxing from Mold & Mycotoxins
Step 1: Reduce Exposure
The liver is the body’s primary detoxification organ, so any detoxification should begin with giving the liver some much needed TLC. The liver processes and neutralizes the toxins, including mycotoxins produced by mold, preparing them for elimination through bile or urine. Mold toxins can place a heavy burden on the liver, especially if your detox pathways are already sluggish or overwhelmed. Nourishing the liver with support with foods, herbs, and supplements, can enhance its ability to handle this increased workload.
Foods for Liver Support
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur compounds that aid detoxification.
Beets: High in betaine, beets support bile flow and protect liver cells from oxidative stress.
Lemons and Limes: Their vitamin C content helps neutralize free radicals and supports detox enzymes.
Garlic and Onions: Packed with sulfur compounds, they boost the production of glutathione, a critical antioxidant for liver health.
Healthy Fats: Avocado, olive oil, grass fed butter, and omega-3s from fatty fish promote liver function and reduce inflammation.
Low Mycotoxin Foods: Avoid high-mold foods like peanuts, corn, wheat, and processed foods.
Liver Supportive Practices
Castor Oil Packs: Apply a castor oil pack over the liver area (right upper abdomen) for 20–30 minutes a few times a week. This practice can help reduce inflammation, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and support detox pathways.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps flush out toxins and supports bile flow.
Herbs for Liver Health
Milk Thistle, Schisandra, and Dandelion are all supportive of the liver. Milk thistle protects liver cells, supports regeneration, and enhances detox pathways. Dandelion root stimulates bile production and aids digestion, promoting toxin elimination. Schisandra Berry enhances liver enzyme activity and protects against oxidative stress.
Nutraceuticals for the Liver
- NAC (N-Acetylcysteine): A precursor to glutathione, NAC supports powerful antioxidant activity and detoxification.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): Helps regenerate glutathione and protects liver cells from damage.
- Glutathione (Liposomal): Directly boosts the liver’s detox capacity.
- Vitamin B Complex: B vitamins, particularly B6, B9, and B12, are essential for liver enzyme function in detox pathways.
Step 2: Regularity
If you do not have at least 1 to 2 bowel movements daily Do NOT pass go.
Your colon is one of the body’s main pathways for clearing toxins, and a successful detox depends on keeping things moving. When bowel movements are sluggish those mobilized toxins can get reabsorbed into your body instead of being eliminated, potentially exacerbating symptoms and hindering overall detoxification.
If bowels are infrequent, read here about constipation and motility natural options.
Step 3: Open Detox Pathways & Add Supports
Mold and mycotoxins can overwhelm the body’s natural detox processes, so ensuring that pathways like sweat, urine, bile, and lymphatic drainage are working optimally is required to properly detox.
Detox Pathways and How to Support Them
Lymphatic System:
The lymphatic system is always working to clear waste, toxins, harmful microbes and other substances from tissues and shuttling them out of the body. The lymphatic system needs to be working in order to detox.
- Dry Brushing: Stimulates lymphatic flow and encourages circulation
- Rebounding: Activities like jumping on a trampoline
- Lymphatic Massage:You can look on YouTube for how-to videos, but there are also massage therapists that specialize in lymphatic massage. It’s become much more common.
- Castor Oil: Applying castor oil packs over the liver area can help stimulate circulation and promote lymphatic drainage, supporting the liver’s detoxification processes. Castor oil’s natural properties also encourage bile flow, enhancing digestion and toxin elimination. For best results, apply a castor oil-soaked cloth to your abdomen and cover with heat for 30-60 minutes, several times a week. I use this wrapfor myself and the kids. I like this organic castor oil one in a glass bottle.
- Herbs: Echinacea, burdock and cleavers gently stimulate lymphatic detox.
Kidneys:
The kidneys filter and excrete water-soluble toxins through urine.
- Clean Water. Unfortunately our water has become contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides and pharmaceuticals, adding to the body’s toxic load. Investing in a good water filtration system, like reverse osmosis (RO), can significantly reduce exposure.
We have this AquaTru Countertop Water Purifier. - Hydration.Aim for 8–10 glasses of filtered water daily. Add a pinch of mineral-rich sea salt and electrolytes for hydration at the cellular level. That’s any easy addition most people will not notice.
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Skin:
The skin is a secondary elimination organ, allowing toxins to be excreted through sweat.
- Infrared Sauna Therapy: This promotes deep sweating, which helps release stored toxins, including heavy metals, pesticides, and other environmental pollutants that accumulate in fat cells. Regular use can improve circulation, reduce stress, and support overall detoxification.
You can get a membership to a local spa or wellness center to access a high-end infrared sauna for around $100 a month. Portable options like infrared sauna blankets or infrared sauna tents are available for $200-$600. I personally love our sauna tent because it keeps my face cool and allows access to my hands. If your budget permits, a small 2-person infrared sauna for $2,000+ is an excellent investment. This one is on my wish list.
- Physical activity boosts circulation, promotes lymphatic drainage, and encourages sweating, all of which help expel toxins through the skin.
- Epsom Salt Baths: Magnesium sulfate baths relax muscles, reduce inflammation, and support detoxification. Make sure to buy organic!
- Avoid Toxins. Harmful chemicals in personal care products can absorb through the skin or be inhaled, increasing the body’s toxic load.
Liver and Bile Flow:
The liver is responsible for processing fat-soluble toxins, breaking them down into substances that can be safely eliminated from the body. Bile, a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, plays a central role in this process by carrying these processed toxins into the digestive system for elimination. Proper liver and bile function is essential for maintaining overall health and reducing the body’s toxic burden.
- Herbal Bitters:Bitters, such as artichoke and dandelion, stimulate the release of bile, ensuring efficient digestion and helping the body eliminate waste effectively. A small dose of bitters before meals can kickstart digestion and support liver health.
- Choline and Inositol:These essential nutrients are critical for healthy bile production and fat metabolism. Choline, found in foods like eggs and liver, helps prevent fat buildup in the liver, while inositol supports the flow of bile and improves the liver’s efficiency in breaking down fats.
Respiratory System:
The lungs expel volatile toxins exhalation and facilitate oxygenation, essential for cellular detox. However, the effectiveness of this process depends greatly on the quality of the air we breathe.
We need CLEAN AIR. Most people spend a significant portion of their time indoors, where air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air due to the accumulation of pollutants. Common indoor air contaminants include dust, mold spores, pet dander, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaning products or furniture, and even toxins like carbon monoxide and radon.
- Air Purifiers: Investing in a high-quality air purifier is one of the best ways to ensure cleaner indoor air. Air purifiers, like the Intellipure or Jaspr models, use advanced filtration systems to capture fine particles, allergens, mycotoxins and even VOCs, reducing the toxin load in your environment. If you don’t have an air purifier to filter your air, your lungs will…
- Ventilation: Despite the utility of air purifiers, nothing beats the simplicity of fresh air. Open your windows for at least 30 minutes a day to exchange stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air, reducing the concentration of indoor pollutants. This is especially important after activities like cooking or cleaning, which can release harmful particles and chemicals into the air.
Additional Tips for Clean Air:
- Choose Natural Products:Opt for low-VOC paints, non-toxic cleaning supplies, and natural furnishings to minimize chemical off-gassing.
- Control Humidity:Keep indoor humidity levels between 30-50% to prevent mold growth and reduce dust mites. Have your crawlspace inspected for mold. That was a source of mold for us.
- Houseplants:Incorporate air-purifying houseplants, such as spider plants, snake plants, aloe, pathos or peace lilies, to naturally enhance air quality.
Step 4: Binders
Binders have the ability to attach to a specific mycotoxin, preventing reabsorption and allowing safe elimination through our detox pathways. Incorporating a variety of binders can help target different types of toxins effectively.
Here’s a breakdown of key binders and their benefits:
- Chlorella:Chlorella, a nutrient-dense green algae, binds to heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins, supporting their safe removal from the body. Chlorella promotes liver function, aids in replenishing vitamins and minerals, and enhances immune system activity. But, not all chlorella is created equal, make sure you find a high quality chlorella. My favorites I use are Energybits and Chlorella is one of the safest and gentlest binders for children and pregnant women.
- Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal is a highly porous substance that acts as an adsorbent, trapping toxins, chemicals, and gases in its microscopic pores. This process prevents reabsorption of toxins into the bloodstream and promotes their excretion. Activated charcoal works indiscriminately—it doesn’t just bind harmful toxins; it can also latch onto beneficial nutrients. Ideally, as a detox binder take charcoal 2 hours away from pharmaceuticals, food, vitamins, or mineral supplements. And, activated charcoal can be rotated with other binders to address any concerns with leaching of nutrients.
- Saccharomyces boulardii:This beneficial probiotic yeast supports gut health while binding and removing fungal byproducts, including mycotoxins.
- Zeolite:A volcanic mineral with a cage-like structure that captures heavy metals, radioactive particles, mycotoxins and other toxins, ideal for systemic detoxification. Its negative charge attracts positively charged toxins, neutralizing and removing them. Zeolite works systemically, not just in the gut, making it useful for deep detoxification. It also supports pH balance and reduces oxidative stress.
- Humic & Fulvic Acid: These organic compounds are derived from ancient decomposed plant matter; they help chelate heavy metals, reduce inflammation, and boost cellular energy, keeping your system clean and balanced. They are also a rich source of trace minerals that nourish the body, addressing deficiencies in chronic illnesses. My favorites are BEAM and Ion Gut Suppor
- Fiber: Incorporating a source rich in insoluble fiber will bind mycotoxins. Dr. Neil Nathan recommends OptiFiber Lean in his book Toxic. It contains glucomannan, a plant based fiber derived from konjac root. Dr. Crista recommends Flax seed, Chia seed, Rice bran and Oat bran.
- Pectasol: A modified citrus pectin that targets heavy metals and mycotoxins while promoting immune function. This is one of the gentlest binders, but highly effective.
- BentoniteClay: Absorbs toxins and heavy metals in the digestive tract, providing gentle yet effective detox support.
- NAC (N-acetylcysteine) has a unique ability to bind directly to gliotoxin, a mycotoxin produced by certain mold species, including Aspergillus. Gliotoxin is particularly harmful as it suppresses the immune system and damages tissues through oxidative stress.
- Takesumi (Bamboo Charcoal): A unique form of activated charcoal that supports gut health and detoxification.
How to Use Binders:
- Take binders away from food, supplements, or medications to avoid interference with nutrient absorption.
- Start with a low dose and gradually increase to prevent overwhelming the detox pathways.
- Ensure proper hydration to support elimination and avoid constipation.
How Herxheimers happen
When using binders for detoxification, Dr. Neil Nathan in his book “Toxic” compares their action to a magnet attracting metallic fillings. While the binders effectively “pull” toxins out of storage sites and into the gut for elimination, the binding process is not always perfect—some of the toxins can fall back into the bloodstream. This can overwhelm the body’s detox pathways if too many toxins are mobilized at once, leading to symptoms known as a Herxheimer reaction, or “Herx.”
These reactions occur when the body struggles to process and clear the increased toxin load.
To avoid this, start slowly with binders to gauge how much your body can handle. By using a “go slow” approach, you can find the right balance that allows your detox pathways to keep up with the toxins being mobilized, minimizing Herx reactions and supporting a sustainable detox process. The goal is not to rush but to support the body’s natural ability to clear toxins at a manageable pace.
Step 5: Antifungals & Nasal Sprays
Whole-Body Antifungals
These natural antifungals are effective, widely accessible, and supportive of overall health.
- Pau D’Arco—traditionally used to fight fungal infections of the lungs and skin.
- Targets systemic fungal infections.
- Supports immune modulation and detoxification.
- Holy Basil—An adaptogenic herb with antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Supports the body’s response to fungal infections while calming the central nervous system.
- Gentle on the user
- Can be combined with Pau D’Arco for those who developed asthma from mold
- Olive Leaf—A potent antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral agent
- Fights Candida and other systemic fungal infections
- Works to restore innate immune system
- Protects the gut lining from damaging effects of mycotoxins
- Supports antioxidant pathways
- Stabilize blood sugar & reduces a sweet tooth
- Usnea—A lichen known for its strong antimicrobial and antifungal actions.
- Best used in tincture form, it provides robust support against fungal pathogen
- Combats opportunistic fungal infections
- Helpful for allergies, frequent sniffles, and sore throat
- Not to be used long-term
- Thyme—Disrupts fungal cell membranes
- Has an affinity for the lungs
- Can be taken in capsule, tincture or inhaled with essential oils or steam inhalation on the stove
- Oil of Oregano—Potent!
- A highly concentrated antifungal with proven efficacy against fungal overgrowth.
- Destroys fungal cells and inhibits growth.
- Helps regulate microbial balance.
Nasal Antifungals—The sinuses are a common reservoir for mold and mycotoxins.
Hydrosol Silver (Argentyn 23)
- A powerful antimicrobial that targets bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Its small particle size allows it to penetrate biofilms and reach the mold colonies in the nasal passages.
Xylitol
- A natural sugar alcohol that inhibits fungal growth and biofilm formation.
- Used as an ingredient in nasal sprays, xylitol helps break biofilms and clear fungal colonies.
Steam Therapy
- Add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot water, cover your head with a towel, and inhale deeply for 5–10 minutes.
- Recommended Oils: Rosemary, tea tree, thyme, clove, frankincense, and eucalyptus.
Step 6: Biofilm Busters
Biofilms are like shields that bacteria, fungi, and microbes build around themselves to avoid detection from the immune system and prevent treatment with antibiotics or other interventions. Breaking down these strongholds is a critical step in addressing chronic illnesses, mold toxicity, and persistent infections. The good news is that with the right strategies and tools, we can dismantle biofilms and expose the pathogens hiding within, making them vulnerable to treatment and removal.
Steps in Attacking Biofilm
This should not be completed early in treating mold. The above steps will be hard enough on your body early on.
1. Enzymes
Specialized enzymes break apart the protective matrix of biofilms, making it easier to target the pathogens within. These enzymes digest the proteins, sugars, and other substances that hold the biofilm together.
2. Antimicrobial Agents
Once the biofilm is disrupted, antimicrobial herbs or pharmaceuticals can directly attack the exposed bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Without the biofilm’s shield, pathogens are significantly more vulnerable.
- Take antimicrobials 30-60 minutes after the biofilm buster.
3. Binders
When biofilms are broken down, toxins, pathogens, and debris are released into the body. Binders such as activated charcoal, chlorella, or bentonite clay capture these toxins, preventing reabsorption and ensuring they are safely eliminated.
- Take binders 1-2 hours after antimicrobials.
Enzymes
- Serrapeptase and Nattokinase: These protein-digesting enzymes are highly effective at breaking down biofilm components, such as fibrin, a key structural element.
- Lumbrokinase: Derived from earthworms, this enzyme is a powerful biofilm disruptor and is particularly effective in addressing chronic infections where biofilms play a role.
Herbal Antimicrobials and Nutraceuticals
Once the biofilm is broken, targeted antimicrobials can kill the exposed pathogens. See Antifungals above.
Targeted Nutraceuticals:
- Biocidin: A broad-spectrum botanical formula designed to disrupt biofilms and target pathogens.
- Interfase by Klaire Labs: A blend of enzymes and nutrients specifically formulated to weaken biofilms.
- Biofilm Neutralizer by Allergy Research Group: Combines enzymes and herbal extracts to dismantle biofilm defenses and support pathogen clearance.
A word of caution about targeting biofilm. It’s important to remember that these biofilm structures often shield a range of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, toxins, and mycotoxins. Breaking open the biofilm can release these hidden invaders all at once; this sudden release can easily overwhelm your body’s detox pathways.
With most of the biofilm buster nutraceuticals, you need to start extremely slowly. For instance, when using Biocidin, begin with just one drop every 4-5 days. If after 4 doses you don’t experience any adverse reactions, consider increasing the frequency slowly. These formulas are highly effective at dismantling biofilms, but their strength can be too powerful.
Binders
Always follow the biofilm busters with binders, like chlorella and charcoal. See Binders above for more detail.
There are no shortcuts. It’s a journey.
A gradual and cautious approach to detox is critical to avoid overwhelming the body’s systems. Ensuring open detox pathways through regular bowel movements, clean air, and hydration is equally essential.
Ultimately, overcoming mold toxicity is about persistence, support, and listening to your body’s needs. Combining modern insights with ancient herbal practices can guide individuals toward recovery and resilience.