When did everyone become so afraid of mold?

I​​f you run your hand over your desk right now, I hate to break it to you but…there’s mold. 

Mold comes in hundreds of thousands of species and has been on Earth forever. But lately, it feels like everyone’s panicking about it.

So what changed? It’s not the mold, it’s us. 

Most mold exposure isn’t a problem. Some people can clean out a moldy attic, inhale lungfuls of Aspergillus, and be totally fine.

Others experience a form of biotoxin illness where mold exposure causes a chronic inflammatory response (CIRS) and wreaks havoc, leading to everything from unexplained weight gain, to chronic fatigue, to bloating and digestive issues, to headaches to an impaired immune response.

At Parsley, we’ve spent a decade treating mold illness and (spoiler) it’s a lot more nuanced than TikTok makes it seem. 

Here’s how to know if mold could be behind your brain fog, fatigue, or “weird” symptoms and what to do if it is.

🤓 What to know: Mold is ancient but modern bodies are struggling with it.

Mold is not new and not always dangerous. But modern immune systems? Not the same story.

Between PFAS, microplastics, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors, our detox systems are already overloaded. 

For some people, mold tips the scale.

🦠What is mold illness?

Also known as biotoxin illness or chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), it’s when your immune system overreacts to toxic compounds called mycotoxins that mold releases into the air.

An estimated 25% of people carry a genetic variant (HLA-DR haplotype) that makes them more likely to have this kind of extreme response.

For these people, even low-level exposure can set off: 

• Persistent inflammation

• Mitochondrial dysfunction

• Brain fog, fatigue, hormone shifts

⚠️ What mold does to your body

The top mold culprits are: 

• Aspergillus → common in contaminated foods like grains & coffee

• Penicillium → lives in water damaged walls

• Stachybotrys (“black mold”) → thrives in organic materials like wood, compost & potting soil

• Fusarium → found anywhere it’s damp, like bathrooms & basements

• Chaetomium → grows where there’s long-term water damage 

Research shows exposure to mycotoxins produced by these strains of mold is linked to: 

❌ Lower glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant (Toxins, 2014)

❌ Kidney damage (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021)

❌ Neuroinflammation, brain fog, memory and mood problems (Brain Behavior Immunology, 2021)

❌ Various types of cancer (Life, 2023)

❌ Impaired immune activity and autoimmune conditions (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021)

❌ Estrogen metabolism disruption and impaired fertility (Toxins, 2024)

❌ Weakened gut barrier integrity (Toxins, 2020)

🧩 Could mold be behind your symptoms?

Because it affects so many systems, mold-related illness can look like:

• Brain fog or fatigue

• Digestive issues, bloating, SIBO

• Sinus congestion or frequent infections

• Skin rashes or eczema

• Headaches, light sensitivity

• Histamine intolerance

• Tingling, numbness, muscle pain

• Weight gain or loss

• Anxiety or mood swings

• Night sweats, urinary urgency

• Painful or heavy periods

If you’re one of the 25% genetically predisposed to mold sensitivity, our Parsley Health team includes some of the nation’s top mold-literate MDs. Don’t go it alone. 

💪 What to do: Test, remove, repair, reset.

Mold recovery is a process, not a one-and-done detox tea. Here’s how we approach it at Parsley Health:

🔬 Step 1: Test (the right way)

Environmental testing:

• ERMI or HERTSMI-2 (dust-based tests are more accurate than air samples)

• Focus on identifying species + load, not just presence. We’re all living with some level of mold. 

Clinical testing:

• Urine mycotoxin panel (we use Real Time Labs)

• Bloodwork for inflammation markers, liver enzymes, and nutrient status

⚠️ A positive test = exposure, not necessarily illness. This is why it’s so important to work with a mold-literate provider to interpret results.

❌ Step 2: Remove the source

• Remediate your home to remove existing harmful growths

• Check for leaks, keep indoor humidity < 50%, clean AC drip pans and filters monthly

• HEPA air purifiers can remove up to 99.9% of airborne mold spores 

🧬 Step 3: Start mast cell stabilization

Mast cells are a type of immune cell that releases histamine and other inflammatory chemicals when triggered. 

Protocol can include: 

• H1/H2 histamine blockers

• Professional-grade herbal support (quercetin, nettles)

• DAO-enzymes

♻️ Step 4: Support elimination in your body

• Get regular: A daily bowl movement supports the detox protocols below 

• Binders: Activated charcoal, bentonite clay, or prescription cholestyramine bind mycotoxins in the gut

• Fiber: 30–50 g/day 

• Hydration: 2–3 L water daily + electrolytes

• Sweat: Infrared sauna and regular exercise can boost toxin clearance

💪 Step 5: Rebuild the body’s immune response

• Antioxidants: Glutathione, NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin C

• Mitochondria: CoQ10, acetyl-L-carnitine

• Gut repair: Probiotics + anti-inflammatory foods (think: turmeric, leafy greens)

• Immune modulation: Omega-3s, vitamin D, curcumin, quercetin

🌱 Step 6: Reset your diet

Mycotoxins activate inflammatory pathways (NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α) linked to chronic disease. Support your system by:

• Avoiding mold-heavy foods: aged cheese, peanuts, grains, wine

• Eating anti-inflammatory: leafy greens, berries, omega-3s

• Prioritizing gut health for better toxin elimination

⚠️ The bottom line: mold isn’t the enemy—overload is.

For most people, the goal isn’t “zero mold” exposure; it’s a steady state where your immune system recognizes mold as background noise, not a five-alarm fire.

⚡️ Quick Hits

💊 Multi-vitamins reduce aging afterall 

A randomized controlled trial with 3,500+ participants showed taking a daily multivitamin improved memory and cognitive performance in older adults—roughly equivalent to reversing ~3 years of age-related memory decline. 

Don’t skip your multi. 

🥦 Broccoli extract reduces cold symptoms

100 mg sulforaphane from broccoli seed extract cut daily cold symptoms by 40% in a placebo-controlled trial. The study was small (< 100 people) but with no negative side effects, this falls into the “can’t hurt might help” bucket. 

I’m considering adding broccoli seed extract to my stack this fall. 

⏰ 11-Hour Eating Window Improves Longevity

A study of 33,000 adults found eating for ~11–12 hrs/day reduced mortality risk. More or less than that? Mortality risk went up. 

💛 The Momgevity Files

I was in LA this week for a women’s health summit on female longevity. I spoke about my Brains, Bones, and Booty protocol and why it’s never too early or too late to build muscle, strengthen bones, and protect brain health. 

I was even more excited to be an audience member and to connect with friends like Dr. Jessica Shepherd and Dr. Deepika Chopra. Seeing my people always makes me so happy. There’s something about nerding out with others who love what I love (read: all things health and wellness) that fills me up more than anything.

The headline speaker was Selma Blair, whose public journey with Multiple Sclerosis has become her calling. She shared how, at the time of her diagnosis, there were virtually no resources except for end-of-life care. The idea of living with the disease wasn’t even considered.

It reminded me of a close friend—early 40s, battling aggressive cancer—who told me she hid it for two years. As a successful businesswoman, she felt ashamed to be sick. When she finally went public, she said it felt like the sky opened up.

There’s so much shame in our culture around illness. We’ll embrace “longevity” and “optimization” but deny being sick. At Parsley, I see it all the time—people come for weight loss or energy, but once they fill out our symptom score, or sit down with one of our doctors, the real story comes out: chronic bloating and reflux, unexplained joint pain, an endometriosis diagnosis, infertility. 

I’ve lost count of how many are ready to take GLP-1s or try a detox to lose weight but haven’t seen a medical provider for their autoimmune symptoms.

There’s a chasm we all have to cross, especially as women, from denial to acknowledgment. It’s easier to bury things, minimize, deny, or focus on something less scary. Whether it’s our health, our kids, our marriages, or careers. 

For me, that chasm was about sharing that I have a neurodivergent child and being open about everything I’m doing to support him. For a long time, admitting the challenge felt like shining a light on something I didn’t want to face.

But I’ve learned that the power comes in the embrace. Not through complaining or obsessing or staying stuck in the hard stuff but through a different kind of openness. One that says: This is here. I see it. I own it. It’s here to teach me something. And I’m not ashamed.

If we want to truly experience longevity, we have to own the illnesses we carry. Be honest about our symptoms. And create the kind of openness that lets healing in.

Longevity starts when we cross the chasm—and leave the shame behind.

Stay strong, stay curious, and breathe,

Robin

As always, this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any health decisions or changes to your treatment plan.