Nature's Secrets: Fungus Among Us

Additional Info

• Segment Number: 5
• Audio File: wellness_for_life/1520wl5e.mp3
• Featured Speaker: Susanne Bennett, DC
• Transcription: RadioMD Presents: Wellness for Life Radio | Original Air Date: May 15, 2015
  Host: Susanne Bennett, DC
  
  It is time to feel better with help from Dr. Susanne Bennett. Allergies, nutrition, ultimate wellness all discussed right here, right now. It is Wellness for Life Radio on RadioMD. Here is your host, Dr. Susanne.
  
  DR SUSANNE: Eighteen years ago when my son Cody was two years old, he had severe mold allergies so terribly that we had to carry an Epi-pen 24/7. This is a medical injectable device to use just in case he has an anaphylactic reaction from eating anything contaminated with mold. I didn’t know and his pediatrician didn’t know, much about mold and fungi allergies and how toxic it can be to the human body. Today on Nature’s Secrets we are going to discuss the fungus among us, whether it is inside our body or outside and how we get rid of it naturally.
  
  Now, molds are just one type of fungi and is different from plants, animals and bacterias. Molds are eukaryotic micro-organisms that are decomposers of dead organic material such as leaves, wood, plants and even dead animals, and they are absolutely essential for the health of our earth ecosystem. But we just don't want them invading our body’s food and living environment. For people with general mold sensitivities, it can trigger irritating immune responses such as hay fever symptoms, allergic rhinitis and coughing issues. Now for people with severe allergy systems or compromise immune systems, mold can cause chronic inflammation and more significant issues such as asthma, anaphylactic reactions, bronchial fungal infections, chronic fatigue and even irritable bowel symptoms.
  
  Some ingested molds of aspergillus and fusarium species can be very dangerous because it actually produces potential toxic substances called mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are the toxins that mold excrete to help fight off other molds and microbes like bacteria. You probably know a lot about penicillin because that is actually a microtoxin because we know that from penicillin molds we were able to many, many years ago find them. It is what kills bacterias in our body and now we use that as an antibiotic substance. But if we eat molds and mycotoxins, it can cause severe GI upset. It can also damage the intestinal lining causing leaky gut. It can wipe out the liver function enough that it actually causes liver failure. And long-term exposure to mycotoxins such as aflatoxins can cause liver cancer. This is well, well known.
  
  So, it is also mycotoxins that are poisonous neurotoxins meaning they can damage your central nervous system causing inflammation and irritation, really scary when you think about what is found in our foods, the foods that we eat such as nuts, grain crops such as corn, rice and wheat. You know, foods that we have every single day on our plate. So, where else can you find it? Celery, potatoes, apples, peppers and other produce. Of course, because produce that is not good and it is old, definitely mold has set in. They are finding that 25% of the world’s crops could be affected by mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxin. So aflatoxin grows on peanuts and grains, particularly and corn is really toxic. You know how you find that when you open up that fresh looking corn? You open it up and right there under that silky stuff is black mold, brown mold, yucky mold? That can be mold that produces aflatoxin, so you really want to stay away from that.
  
  Did you also know that aflatoxin is found in cow’s milk and, yes, did you know why? Because the cow is eating the grains that are actually are contaminated by mold. So, it’s really important to watch out for the dairy products that we have. So, what else do we have? Bleu cheese--that’s roquefort cheese. Penicillin roqueforti is actually what is growing in bleu cheese. All types of cheese actually grows mold. You could tell because as soon as you take it out of the refrigerator, often there is just green or blue all over it. So, you have got to be careful with that. Also, salamis. You know, the outer cover on salamis often kind of whitish stuff; that is mold as well. And alcohol, we love to drink alcohol when we are out with friends and family but that is a mycotoxin itself, fermentation with sugar as well as grain and fruit juice, right? That is all that makes alcohol, all that fermentation.
  So, it’s really important to stay away from that. If you’ve got mold allergies, other risky foods are mushrooms that obviously comes from fungi, dried fruits, restaurant salad greens, freshly squeezed fruit and veggie juice that is packaged in foods as well. Crackers and chips. They all can harbor mold. Then, of course, because nuts such as peanuts, cashews, pistachios they are really, really high in mold growth. Now every week, I would say three to five times a week, I get patients who complain about stomach upset because of food poisoning. Why? They have eaten a big salad trying to be healthy and they eat it out of a restaurant. And out of a restaurant they don't wash the veggies, they don't wash the greens. They literally take it out of the bag and they put it on your plate and put all that dressing on so you can't taste it because often you can taste what fungus and mold taste like and it is so disgusting.
  
  But what we want to do is this. I recommend people do not eat salads outside of your home in restaurants. If you want to be able to eat cooked veggies, ask for just steamed cooked veggies. You can even ask them to cook your arugula. So, instead of arugula salad have steamed or sautéed arugula just like spinach, you know? If you are really jonesing for fresh greens then go home and make sure that you clean it properly. I am going to teach you in one minute how you can eat mold-free salads at home. Other tips that I want to talk about is that you know what? When you are at the store, make sure you look at the best buy dates and make sure that before you put it in the shopping cart, read what you are buying. Make sure it is way before the date because it takes days and days and will start to harbor mold otherwise.
  
  Don't sniff. You know, often we pick something and sniff it. Don’t sniff it. Well, you know, on an orange all that whitish film? Well, on an orange that whitish film is mold that naturally grows on them. So, don't sniff because the mold’s spores can go right into your nose and then, of course, you end up having sinus infections from that. Store things at the right recommended temperature. Don’t leave things out because often if you leave things out like bread and stuff like that, of course, gluten-free bread will go moldy in a jiffy. And don't over buy produce. Get whatever you eat. I go to the store twice a week and then what I do is I literally clean all my produce with Vitamin C crystals and this is how you are going to be able to have great green free of mold and, of course, not have any damaging toxins in your gut.
  
  So, what do you do? I use Vitamin C crystals. You just put about a half a teaspoon. You soak your veggies, wash your veggies as well as other kinds of fruit that you can't peal like berries and grapes as well as grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa and amaranth. What I do is, I soak it in a glass container and then you just put half a teaspoon of Vitamin C for fifteen minutes and what that does is, it cleans off all of the greens and the berries of the mold, debris as well as bacterias and sometimes even little bugs. It will clean it right off and then of because Vitamin C’s are a super antioxidants, it will neutralize pesticides and any kind of fertilizers that may be on your produce. Remember, even organic produce can have other kinds of stuff coming from other farms and what not and of because little bugs are there, too. Sometimes even organic can actually have more fungi because they don't use fungicides on the veggies.
  
  Make sure you get ascorbic acid, not the buffer kind Not Ester-C. Get the one that is corn-free so that you don't deal with Genetically Modified Corn (GMO). A lot of Vitamins C’s are made with GMO but if you have trouble finding it, you can go to drsusanne.com/crystals. Finally, if there is any spot of mold in your fruits, let’s say in a box of berries, throw that whole berry box out. It is not worth it because mold you cannot see and it just goes everywhere. It is really important that you don't end up eating it. That’s so important. Wow. This is a lot of information. I am so glad that we talked about all this. You know, once you make some changes, you will see how much better you feel inside and out.
  
  This is Dr. Susanne. Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to serve you I am dedicated to helping you feel your best today.
  
  This is Wellness for Life Radio on Radio MD. See you next time. Stay well.
• Length (mins): 10
• Waiver Received: No
• Host: Susanne Bennett, DC