Fungi and molds produce mycotoxins that can overwhelm the immune system, leading to chronic inflammatory illness. This condition is known as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). Mold exposure is the root cause of CIRS, triggering inflammatory pathways that cause debilitating symptoms.
CIRS develops when toxic molds release spores and mycotoxins into the air or contaminate food. Susceptible individuals inhale, ingest, or absorb enough mold toxins that their immune system cannot keep up with elimination. Toxins then accumulate and embed in tissues, keeping inflammation switched on indefinitely.
Symptoms of CIRS reflect systemic inflammation that can impact any area of the body.
Common symptoms include:
- Severe headaches
- Brain fog
- Exhausting fatigue
- Muscle/joint pain
Repeated or chronic mold exposures allow mycotoxin levels to gradually increase over time. When the total biotoxin burden overwhelms the body’s inflammatory threshold, CIRS develops. The good news is that CIRS natural treatments can help reverse much of this disease process.

CIRS Natural Treatments
A functional MD who specializes in CIRS uses specialized testing to identify signs of mold illness and customize treatment plans. Top treatment priorities include adopting an anti-inflammatory diet and removing mold from the home environment.
By halting new exposures and lightening the immune system’s burden, natural CIRS treatments give the body the best chance to regain function. Key strategies provide support for detoxification pathways, inflammation regulation, infection control, and gut health. Research shows anti-inflammatory diets and targeted supplement protocols tend to provide the greatest therapeutic benefit. These natural CIRS treatments help obstruct the disease cascade set in motion by toxicity and inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory Diets
One powerful CIRS natural treatment is adopting a low-amylose diet. The low amylose diet limits foods that are high in a complex carbohydrate called amylose. Amylose is a chained starch molecule made up of many glucose units. It is found in abundance in:
- Grains (rice, wheat, oats)
- Starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Amylose is difficult for humans to break down completely. Fungi and molds cannot fully digest it either but they thrive on the simple sugars amylose provides them. The low-amylose diet restricts the intake of amylose-rich foods. This helps starve molds/fungi to limit growth. It also reduces exposure to mycotoxins from foodborne sources.
For patients with chronic inflammatory illnesses triggered by mold, this therapeutic diet eases the burden on the immune system. It lightens the body's load so it can focus on clearing already accumulated toxins. When following a low amylose diet, the goal is to avoid foods that feed fungal and mold growth. This means limiting the intake of amylose - the complex carb that molds thrive on.
Key foods to reduce or remove include:
- Grains: Bread, cereals, baked goods with wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice, corn etc.
- Starches: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, beets
- Beans & Lentils: Kidney beans, soybeans, chickpeas, peas, lentils
- Fruits: Bananas and plantains
- Root vegetables: Cassava, parsnips, jicama, carrots
- Starchy veggies: Limit intake
- Dairy: Aged cheeses
- Foods with added sugar: sucrose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, glucose, dextrose
- Other: Vinegars, fermented items, mushrooms
- Instead, enjoy: Non-starchy veggies, Berries, citrus fruits, Clean proteins like eggs, chicken, fish
There is no definitive guideline on exactly how long to follow a low amylose diet for CIRS, as each case is unique and requires an individualized approach. There is no “one size fits all” prescription for low-amylose diet duration as a CIRS natural treatment. Stay in contact with your functional medicine doctor for guidance on appropriate low-amylose diet adjustments over time. The goal is to find an optimal sustainable dietary pattern that supports long-term wellness even after the intensive healing phase passes.
Recovering from CIRS
Beyond diet and mold avoidance, additional CIRS natural treatments help ease the burden on the immune system, facilitate toxin removal, lower inflammation, and address root causes of dysfunction. Key areas of focus include detoxification support, gut healing, stress reduction, nutritional support, and environmental controls.
Some other natural treatment options for CIRS include:
Detoxification therapies: Strategies aimed at supporting detox pathways and facilitating the elimination of mycotoxins can be very helpful. Some options include: Infrared sauna therapy induces sweating and toxin excretion through the skin Binders that adsorb toxins so they can be eliminated in the stool IV therapies with glutathione and phosphatidylcholine to enhance liver detoxification
Gut healing protocols: Since 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, restoring intestinal health and optimal microbiome function reduces inflammation. Key approaches involve removing infectious agents, repairing gut barrier integrity, and providing probiotic/prebiotic support.
Stress management: High stress exacerbates inflammation and overwhelms detox capacity. Relaxation therapies like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and spending time in nature help mitigate this. Stress-lowering adaptogens herbs can also be useful.
Nutrient support: Targeted vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and antioxidant supplementation provides raw materials needed for detox enzymes and anti-inflammatory processes to work properly. Nutritional intravenous therapies can efficiently deliver key nutrients.
Environmental controls: Since ongoing mold exposure maintains toxicity, controlling home/work environments via remediation, air purification, and ensuring proper ventilation reduces inflammatory triggers. Protective masks and nasal filters also lower exposure risk.
The bottom line is that CIRS develops from problematic inflammatory responses to mold toxin exposures. But holistic CIRS natural treatments like anti-inflammatory diets, supplements, and detoxification support can help reverse much of the damage done. With an integrative treatment approach focused on the root causes, healing CIRS is an achievable goal for most patients.