Mold Exposure (Credit: Canva)
Mold is a type of fungus that has been found on the surface of the earth for millions of years. They can get inside your home through open doors, windows, and air conditioning systems. Inhaling mold spores or coming into contact with mold can have severe adverse effects on your health. Beyond physical symptoms like headache and allergic symptoms, it can have a significant impact on the brain and nervous system. Symptoms may vary, from mild headaches to more severe issues like memory loss or difficulty walking. While it can affect anybody, certain groups like children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to these effects.
How can mold impact your neurological health?
Mold, such as Cladophialophora bantiana, can cause infections in the brain and spinal cord, leading to serious conditions like central nervous system (CNS) infections. While such infections are rare, they can be life-threatening.
Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by certain mold types. These toxins can be released into the air when mold grows indoors, and breathing them in can have direct harmful effects on brain function. Studies indicate that mycotoxins may interfere with the nervous system’s communication pathways, leading to cognitive issues such as memory problems and mood swings.
In fact, long exposure to mold can lead to a variety of neurological symptoms, which can differ depending on an individual’s health and the severity of the mold exposure. Some of them are:
Headaches are one of the most frequent symptoms of mold exposure. While most of the time, these headaches are described as dull, constant, or pressure-like, they can sometimes mimic migraines, accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and sound.
Exposure to molds can also trigger seizures. Mold produces toxic substances like mycotoxins that may disrupt the brain’s electrical activity, leading to seizure episodes.
Mold exposure can cause brain fog, which results in concentration, memory, and mental clarity. Studies suggest that mycotoxins can disrupt normal brain function, making it challenging to process information and think clearly.
Exposure to this fungus can also lead to emotional problems. People with this kind of exposure have complained of anxiety, depression, irritability, and sudden mood swings. This could be due to mold toxins interfering with brain chemicals responsible for regulating emotions.
Mold exposure may trigger inflammation, leading to muscle and joint pain. In case of prolonged exposure, it could lead to the development or worsening of fibromyalgia or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
In some cases, mold exposure may lead to tremors, difficulty walking, or problems with muscle coordination. These issues may be linked to mycotoxins affecting the brain or nervous system.
Mold exposure can impact the brain areas responsible for movement and balance, making it harder to stand, walk, or perform fine motor tasks. Individuals may feel unsteady or experience difficulty using devices like phones or computers.
Delirium is a condition wherein a person experiences confusion or disorientation. An abnormal immune response to mold could contribute to this condition. Delirium can make it difficult for individuals to think clearly or understand their surroundings.
According to experts, the brain is responsible for high BP. (Photo credit: iStock)
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is caused by excessive salt intake; however, according to scientists, there are more reasons. Experts also blame a brain glitch. A part of the brain that makes us breathe while laughing or coughing could also cause a blood pressure spike, as per researchers from New Zealand and Brazil. This could explain why medication is not enough for controlling BP in some people. According to experts at the University of Auckland, there is a part of the brain that could cause high BP, thereby suggesting that the brain is responsible for hypertension.
Experts say that the lateral parafacial region is located in the brainstem. It is the oldest part of the brain and regulates heart rate, digestion, and breathing. Its action causes one to exhale during a cough, laugh, or workout. These actions are driven by abdominal muscles. Researchers also found that this area could connect to the nerves that tighten blood vessels and raise blood pressure. However, it is possible to reverse this action by inactivating this region.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a condition wherein blood pushes against the walls of the blood vessels with too much force. Initially, it has no symptoms, but it is a silent killer. Over time, untreated high BP can lead to a stroke or a heart attack. While it is mostly believed to be a consequence of smoking, drinking alcohol, eating salty foods, and not exercising, experts have found other causes as well. As per research by the University of São Paulo in Brazil and the University of Auckland in New Zealand, published in the journal Circulation Research, rat brains had their brain cells in the lateral parafacial region switched off.
Researchers in the study successfully reactivated neurons in some rats and found that brain circuits ultimately raised BP. Experts mapped out what happened and compared it with rats that did not have hypertension. In the hypertensive group, lateral parafacial region neurons were helping with breathing but were also raising BP. This suggests that changes in breathing, which involve abdominal muscle contractions, can also trigger high BP. This is why patients with sleep apnoea experience interrupted breathing while sleeping and high blood pressure.
Apart from normal breathing, lateral parafacial region neurons are activated when oxygen levels are low. Experts also checked whether they could trigger the brainstem with medication. They noted that it was tricky because drugs would work on the entire brain and not a specific region. It could be activated by signals from the neck cells near the carotid artery. These can be safely targeted with medication.
To control persistent high BP, medication every day is a must. But to intensify the benefits, try the following simple tricks:
Feeling energetic, too, begins with eating right. (Photo credit: iStock)
We live in a world where the option of not turning to medication is almost non-existent. While once issues like fatigue and body aches were restricted to the elderly, it has now started to appear in youngsters as well. Many people depend on drugs for immediate relief in today's fast-paced world. Medication can help, but the best way to stay healthy is to make beneficial habits every day. But according to Dr. Mandeep Singh Basu, Director of Mirasa Ayurveda, there are some small, regular changes that can be made to your lifestyle for quicker healing, balance, and better immunity. You may start making five simple yet effective adjustments right away.
By adopting a mindful way of living, you may greatly enhance your physical, mental, and emotional well-being without having to rely on medication. You may also achieve full health and wellness by making relatively simple adjustments to how you live your life every day.
Credit: Canva/Instagram
Vaccination has been the most powerful and effective tool in modern medicine that improves the body's immune system and fights off diseases, saving millions of lives annually.
Vaccines reduce the risk of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. Vaccines are available to prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunization currently prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza, and measles.
Also Read: Cancer-Hit US Couple Opens Up On ‘Nightmare’ Experience
While vaccines are available for both young and old, former director of AIIMS New Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria, in a post on social media platform Instagram, urged doctors to recommend these based on people's age and the presence of comorbidities.
“Two very important factors one has to consider when recommending a vaccine for the adult population. One is the age, and if you have a patient over the age of 60 years, vaccination is definitely something you should recommend, or if a patient has associated comorbidities which increase the chance of vaccine-preventable diseases,” said the noted pulmonologist from Medanta Hospitals, Gurugram, in a Doctor's Special Series.
He recommended doctors to prescribe six types of vaccines for adults, namely:
“It can be given as a pre-winter vaccine, which is a northern hemisphere vaccine, or it can be given in May or June when it is a southern hemisphere vaccine,” he added.
A flu vaccine typically reduces the risk of influenza infection, prevents severe illness, and complications.
Also read: This Common Vaccine At Higher Dose Can More Than Halve Alzheimer’s Risk In Older Adults
“For the pneumococcal vaccine, we now have a conjugate vaccine, which is available as PCV20, which is once in a lifetime, and that has made things much more easier,” Dr. Guleria said.
The PCV20 vaccine guards against 20 strains of pneumococcal bacteria. It also prevents serious pneumonia, invasive infections, and related complications. It is recommended for adults aged over 65 and those with weakened immune systems.
The vaccine against shingles prevents the risk of viral infection that causes a painful rash and nerve damage. It also helps prevent long-term nerve pain and prevents serious complications from shingles. The vaccine is safe for adults 50 and older.
The Tdap vaccine protects against pertussis infection, also known as whooping cough. It guards against tetanus infections and reduces the risk of diphtheria and related complications.
Beyond cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine also protects against anal and throat cancer. It prevents 90 percent of HPV-related cancers, is safe, and effective. It also prevents genital warts.
Also read: Health Tests Every Woman Should Do Once A Year
Also read: How Vaccinations Help Build Immunity? List Of Vaccines You Should Get
© 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited