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The Link Between Autoimmune Disease and Mold Exposure

Written by Erin Porter

The link between autoimmune disease and mold exposure.  If you landed here, you are probably wondering if there is a connection.  I believe, as many do, there most certainly is.  Autoimmune disease and its link to mold illness is nothing new to people who study mycology.  The havoc and diseases mycotoxins (mold poisons) can create in the body are almost too numerous to count.

Research has shown some evidence of mold exposure to being linked to autoimmune disease.  When we are exposed to mycotoxins, the body can trigger an immune response that can lead to damage and inflammation of just about every organ and tissue in your body.

Read on and I’ll share my own story of chronic illness due to mold exposure as well as the connection between autoimmune disease and mold exposure.

What Is An AutoImmune Disease?

An autoimmune disease simply means the body is “attacking” itself.  For instance, I have Hashimoto’s disease.  My thyroid is not sick, as in the case of someone who has hyperthyroidism.  Instead, my body actually views my thyroid as an invader and an enemy, something to be attacked and destroyed.  By the grace of God, my Hashimoto’s has been in remission for years, but there are over 100 autoimmune diseases and this is a prime example of just one of them.  Now, the reasonable question is what causes it?

Recent Television

Below on television’s Know the Cause, I discuss my decades of chronic illness due to mold exposure.  We also touch on co-infections of mold illness.

Know The Cause

The reason I say “know the cause” which happens to be the name of Doug Kaufmann’s TV show, is that it is important to know what triggered your autoimmune disease.  For example, did the virus Epstein Barr trigger your autoimmune disease?  Was it copious amounts of antibiotics through your lifetime?  Or was it mold exposure?  Once you know the cause, you can try to recover.  In my case, I had all three triggers.  I had ingested decades’ worth of antibiotics, had reoccurring EBV, and I was exposed to mold as a teenager.  For full details, you can read my story.

Erin Porter and Doug Kaufmann standing in front of a sign that says Know The Cause

What To Do With This Knowledge

If you and your doctor have determined the cause of your autoimmune disease is from mold exposure, you can begin to find the source of the mold, detox your body, and repair your home.  Many integrative doctors will tell you that it is almost impossible to recover while still be exposed to mold.

Many co-infections such as Epstein Barr, Lyme disease, and chronic sinus infections play a large role in mold illness.  In this article I will show you want helps my Lyme disease which is almost in remission or gone.  There are many varied opinions on whether Lyme disease can be completely eradicated.  This is also true with autoimmune diseases.  Many will say it can only be put in remission while others who live with autoimmune disease will tell you they no longer have it.

AutoImmune Diseases That Have Links to Mold

Some of the autoimmune diseases that have been associated with mold exposure include:

  1. Multiple Sclerosis
  2. Psoriasis
  3. Rheumatoid arthritis
  4. Crohn’s
  5. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
  6. Sjogren’s
  7. Scleroderma
  8. Hashimoto’s
  9. Diabetes
  10. Asthma

Considering the fact that once you have one autoimmune disease, you now open the door to others, it’s probably safe to say mold can be a factor in most autoimmune diseases, in which I stated there are over 100 of them.  Of course genetics play a role, but once again, mold can be to blame for changing our DNA.  Cells can even accumulate DNA mutations, which creates an increased risk of developing into cancer cells.

Why Would The Body Turn On Itself?

Some scientists believe it’s not the body attacking itself but the mycotoinxs (mold poisons) doing all the dirty work.  Doug Kaufmann has studied mycology (the study of fungi) for almost 50 years and wrote a book called The Fungus Link.  His many decades of research have uncovered fascinating facts, such as people with cancer, and autoimmune diseases, such as some I mentioned above, responding favorably to antifungal drugs.

Antifungals

If your doctor has determined you have a fungal infection from mold, he can prescribe antifungals such as Itraconazole, Amphotericin B, and others.  I have used these for my sinus infections due to mold.  There is also a powdered form of Nystatin that can be made by a compound pharmacy, and I believe Doug Kaufmann has details on how to ask for this on his website.  This antifungal kills candida and fungus in the gut.

Natural Antifungals

I have put a list together of natural antifungals and detoxing agents.  Discuss with your doctor before starting any supplements.

Antifungal Diet

It’s so crucial to stop feeding the yeast and fungus.  They thrive on sugar and carbs so starve them out.  I have written a complete guide on how to starve mold out of your body.  If you have never heard of the Kaufmann diet, it was created by Doug Kaufmann for the specific purpose of starving and killing mold and candida.  You can learn more about the diet in my article titled What Can I Eat?

My Book – Eat Pray Get Well

The second edition of Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing has been released.  If you suffer from Chronic Fatigue, Sinus Infections, Fibromyalgia, Food Allergies, Auto Immune Disease, Acid Reflux, Candida, Depression – then this book is an eye opener.

Forward written by Doug Kaufmann – TV Host of Know the Cause 

Eat Pray Get Well is A story of overcoming chronic illness, a difficult childhood, and food addiction with 50 recipes free of gluten, wheat, yeast, peanuts, refined sugar ~

Exclusive interviews with: Doug Kaufmann – Television host of Know the Cause, Dr. Stephen Sinatra – renowned cardiologist and certified bioenergetic psychotherapist.  Tommy Rosa – Co-author of Health Revelations from Heaven and Earth.  Carol Alt – Supermodel who went from sick to raw foodist.  Joe Cross – Filmmaker and star of award-winning documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  Dr. Tracie Leonhardt – Dr. Leonhardt shares her expertise on hormones, thyroid, autoimmune disease, and more.

eat pray get well book

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Erin Porter
Erin Porter
I have been fortunate to be featured on national Television including PBS American Health Journal, Know the Cause, CTN, ABC, NBC, CBS and more. I was sick for decades, endured many surgeries, took over 100 courses of antibiotics, and then I changed everything and everything changed.

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Eat Pray Get Well Book

If you suffer from Chronic Fatigue, Sinus Infections, Fibromyalgia, Food Allergies, Auto Immune Disease, Acid Reflux, Candida, Depression – this book is for you.

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About Erin

I have been fortunate to be featured on national Television including PBS American Health Journal, Know the Cause, CTN, ABC, NBC, CBS and more. I was sick for decades, endured many surgeries, took over 100 courses of antibiotics, and then I changed everything and everything changed. My book Eat Pray Get Well is about overcoming a tumultuous childhood, decades of chronic illness, and finding God in the process. Includes exclusive interviews with renowned Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, Supermodel Carol Alt, Doug Kaufmann, and many more. Plus 55 gluten free recipes woven throughout. 

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