Hurricane Ian leaves Southwest Florida homes with mold

Mold and mildew have taken over thousands of homes across Southwest Florida. It’s a nightmare that many, including Nancy George, can’t seem to wake up from. “It gets into everything,” she said. “It’s in the walls, it’s in the floors, and it could be in the ceilings because most of them have been closed up for so long.”

The place Nancy once called home is now covered in mold, past the point of repair. Her boyfriend’s house down the street is also covered in mold. “Mold is a huge problem here, for everybody,” Nancy said. “Almost all of these homes are gone because of the mold.”

For now, Nancy is living in a camper with her boyfriend outside his home. They are both still waiting for FEMA disaster assistance money.

When it comes to fighting mold toxicity, Maristany said functional medicine may be a patient’s saving grace.

“Doctors in functional medicine are saying, why are we not testing actual mycotoxin levels, and can we get rid of mycotoxins,” he said.

Mycotoxins are harmful substances that come from mold, and lead to an array of health problems such as chronic headaches, colds, and sore throat. Dr. Maristany often tests mold-exposed patients for mycotoxins, and helps the patient get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Published on January 12, 2023 by WinkNews.