CIRS Considerations for Work and School

The proper management of safe environments is essential for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) treatment. For individuals undergoing the Shoemaker Protocol, creating these safe spaces in work and school settings is important. While home environments can be controlled to minimize exposure, many individuals cannot work or study exclusively from home. We’ll explore crucial considerations for establishing safe environments in workplaces and educational institutions to support those undergoing CIRS treatment.

 

Understanding and mitigating exposure to mold and other environmental triggers in frequently visited locations can significantly impact the healing process. Employers, educators, and individuals must collaborate to identify and address potential hazards, ensuring that the environment is supportive of recovery.

 

Let’s take a closer look at how implementing strategies such as air purification, personal protection equipment (PPE), and reducing chemical exposure can create a safer atmosphere. Additionally, education and awareness about CIRS within these settings can help foster a supportive community, which enhances the well-being and productivity of affected individuals.

 

Prioritizing these considerations we can help those with CIRS navigate their daily lives with greater ease while undergoing treatment.

 

What Is CIRS?

 

 

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) is a multifaceted illness affecting various bodily systems and causing a wide array of symptoms. This condition is driven by significant inflammation resulting from an overactive immune response. CIRS is recognized as a valid medical disorder, and its diagnosis requires extensive lab testing and a thorough examination of the patient’s medical history.

 

Due to its diverse symptoms, CIRS is frequently misdiagnosed or improperly treated. Unlike typical immune disorders with abnormal adaptive immune responses, CIRS is not detectable through standard autoimmune blood tests. Consequently, a specialized and comprehensive diagnostic approach is essential for accurately identifying and managing this condition.

 

 

What leads to the heightened immune response and extensive inflammation seen in CIRS? The main culprits are biotoxins, naturally occurring toxic substances that trigger and exacerbate CIRS. These biotoxins originate from various sources:

 

• Water-Damaged Buildings: Around 80% of CIRS cases are linked to air exposure in water-damaged structures. These environments harbor mold mycotoxins, bacteria, and chemical irritants that provoke inflammatory responses in sensitive individuals. Both living and dead mold components significantly contribute to body and brain inflammation.

 

• Insect Bites: Certain insect bites, like those from ticks and spiders, can cause chronic conditions such as Lyme disease. Pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti, along with venom from recluse spider bites, can lead to prolonged health issues.

 

• Seafood Consumption: Eating tropical reef fish contaminated with ciguatera toxin, often associated with Pfiesteria and harmful algae blooms like cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), can result in biotoxin-related illnesses. This toxin accumulates in larger reef fish that consume smaller fish which have ingested dinoflagellates.

 

• Contaminated Water Contact: Exposure to or inhalation of water tainted with toxic algae blooms, including Pfiesteria and cyanobacteria, can trigger CIRS-related inflammatory responses.

 

• Other Biotoxin Sources: Additional CIRS triggers include certain vaccines, viruses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), endotoxins, and actinomycetes. These elements can contribute to the onset and worsening of the syndrome.

 

 

Biotoxins are minuscule molecules capable of penetrating cell membranes, making them challenging to detect with standard blood tests. These toxins usually enter the body through inhalation but can also be introduced via ingestion, insect bites, and contact with contaminated water.

 

Not everyone exposed to biotoxins such as mold will develop CIRS. Genetic predispositions and life stressors significantly influence susceptibility to biotoxin-related conditions. Factors such as severe illnesses, surgeries, high fevers, pregnancies, substantial biotoxin exposure, and other traumatic events can trigger a cytokine storm. This may activate the CIRS gene in genetically susceptible individuals, particularly those with HLA-DR genes, indicating that CIRS can manifest at any stage of life. It’s important to note that a lack of symptoms does not equate to immunity, and genetic testing can provide valuable insights for prevention.

 

While biotoxins might cause immediate illness, most people’s immune systems can identify and eliminate these toxins effectively. However, individuals genetically predisposed to CIRS have immune systems that fail to recognize and clear these toxins, allowing them to persist in the body. This results in a chronic, severe immune reaction and widespread inflammation, leading to a variety of symptoms and long-term health issues.

 

For a more detailed understanding of CIRS, click here.

 

Pro-Tip: If you think you’re suffering from CIRS, start with our White Glove Service for comprehensive care.

 

What Is the Shoemaker Protocol?

 

 

The Shoemaker Protocol is a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker to address CIRS and other biotoxin-related illnesses. This protocol stands as the only peer-reviewed, clinically replicable treatment for biotoxin illnesses, including mold-related conditions. Grounded in rigorous scientific research and clinical trials, the Shoemaker Protocol ensures effectiveness and reliability in treating CIRS patients.

 

A crucial element of the Shoemaker Protocol is the elimination of biotoxin exposure, which is foundational to the healing process. Continuous exposure to biotoxins can trigger ongoing inflammation, hindering treatment progress. Patients must thoroughly remediate their living environments, relocate to biotoxin-free homes, or create designated sanctuary spaces within or outside their current residences.

 

Additionally, CIRS patients must be mindful of work, school, and other frequently visited environments as potential points of exposure. These spaces can harbor biotoxins, requiring either remediation or continuous monitoring and management to ensure a safe environment that supports the healing process.

 

The Shoemaker Protocol provides a structured approach that includes specific medications and therapies to reduce inflammation, correct hormonal imbalances, and restore proper immune function. Each step is carefully designed to address various aspects of CIRS, ensuring a holistic approach to treatment. Patients following this protocol can achieve significant improvements in their health, often leading to complete remission of symptoms.

 

CIRS and Non-Home Environments

Any re-exposure can affect a person after 15-30 minutes once they’ve entered a compromised building. Anecdotally, some people react immediately once inside. This can be true particularly due to the quicker sicker effect for CIRS patients in active treatment. The quicker sicker effect refers to experiencing a rapid and severe worsening of symptoms when re-exposed to environmental triggers such as water-damaged buildings. The immune system reacts disproportionately, causing a quick, intense flare-up of symptoms.

 

For individuals who have completed the Shoemaker Protocol and are in maintenance mode, their C4a will measurably rise in blood after 4 hours following 15 minutes of exposure to a building with an Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) greater than two. C4a, a component of the complement system, serves as an important inflammatory marker for both diagnosing and monitoring CIRS. It reflects the innate immune response in individuals who have been exposed to water-damaged environments.

 

CIRS Re-Exposure Symptoms

Always trust your symptoms to assess if you’re in exposure. You can always take the Visual Contract Sensitivity (VCS) test as a baseline before going out and then retake it afterward to see if there are any changes in your results.

 

Most individuals with immediate exposure symptoms report the following:

• Respiratory issues: coughing, difficulty breathing, nasal congestion, asthma
• Skin reactions: rash, itching, redness
• Allergic/histamine reaction: sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, itchy nose/throat, watery eyes
• Cognitive issues: difficulty concentrating, confusion, memory problems
• Throat irritation
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Odor sensitivity
• Difficulty sleeping or poor sleep following the exposure

 

Creating a Safe Environment at Work or School

Creating a safe environment at work or school is essential for individuals managing CIRS. Every person’s sensitivity to mold and other biotoxins varies, meaning there is no universal solution that fits everyone’s needs. Understanding these differences is crucial in effectively minimizing exposure and promoting health.

 

HERTSMI-2 Testing

For individuals with CIRS, evaluating the safety of work and school environments through HERTSMI-2 testing can be an important step. This test assesses the presence of specific mold species that are most likely to cause health issues in CIRS patients. If you are symptomatic, you might not need to test unless your workplace or school is open to collaborating on remediation efforts. However, knowing the mold levels can still provide valuable insights.

 

Students should focus on testing the rooms where they spend the most time, such as classrooms or study areas. Similarly, employees should test the specific areas in their workplace where they are most frequently present, such as offices, meeting rooms, or workstations. Conducting HERTSMI-2 tests in these high-traffic areas can help identify potential hotspots of mold contamination that might be affecting your health.

 

Using separate HERTSMI-2 tests for different areas within a building can also help determine if there are safer parts of the building that may be more conducive to your healing. For instance, one part of a building might have significantly lower mold levels than another, making it a potentially better environment for those with CIRS.

 

It’s important to be aware that many businesses and schools may be unwilling to remediate or take on the liability for your health. This reluctance can pose a significant challenge. Therefore, it’s crucial to work closely with your trusted CIRS practitioner to develop the best plan forward, considering the specific circumstances you find yourself in. Whether it involves finding alternative spaces, negotiating with your institution, or taking other measures, your practitioner can help guide you toward the most effective solutions for your situation.

 

Pro-Tip: It’s often best to get a doctor’s note first to introduce CIRS to the company or school before requesting testing. Ask to conduct testing after hours or on weekends.

 

Commercial CIRS Remediations

If your workplace or school has agreed to remediate the environment to make it safer for individuals with CIRS, it is crucial that they follow the Surviving Mold IEP Consensus Statement for Microbial Remediation. This guideline outlines the best practices for identifying and eliminating mold and other biotoxins to ensure a thorough and effective remediation process specifically for CIRS. Following these protocols is essential to prevent incomplete, unsuccessful remediation, which can lead to ongoing health issues for sensitive individuals.

 

Working with a CIRS-knowledgeable Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) who has experience with commercial properties is imperative for successful remediation. Commercial settings present unique challenges compared to residential remediation, such as larger spaces, more complex HVAC systems, and higher foot traffic. CIRS-knowledgeable IEPs are specially trained to handle these complexities and can provide the expertise needed to address the specific needs of work and school environments.

 

CIRS-knowledgeable IEPs with commercial experience can identify all potential sources of contamination, including hidden mold growth and overlooked areas. They can also recommend appropriate remediation strategies tailored to the unique requirements of commercial buildings.

 

Additionally, proper documentation and communication are key aspects of the Surviving Mold IEP Consensus Statement. CIRS-knowledgeable IEPs will provide detailed reports and work closely with your organization to ensure every step of the remediation process is transparent and accountable.

 

Creating a Sanctuary Space

For some CIRS patients, creating a sanctuary space at work or school might be a viable option to manage their condition. These designated areas are intended to be maintained and cleaned with CIRS standards, providing a safe haven where they can spend significant amounts of time without triggering their symptoms.

 

We’ll discuss how to set up this type of space in a non-home environment. However, it’s important to note that this approach may not work for everyone, as each person’s mold threshold is different. What might be a safe environment for one person could still cause reactions in another.

 

Given the variability in individual sensitivity to mold and other biotoxins, we recommend exploring the possibility of working or studying from home as the first option. Home environments can be more easily controlled and customized to meet the specific needs of those with CIRS.

 

If this is not feasible, carefully evaluate whether creating a sanctuary space at your workplace or school could offer the necessary relief and support for your healing process. Collaborating with your trusted practitioner and a CIRS-knowledgeable IEP can help determine the best course of action tailored to your unique situation.

 

Ultimately, while sanctuary spaces in work or school environments may provide some benefit, they are not guaranteed solutions.

 

Pro-Tip: For students, you may be able to put together a case for Section 504 accommodations for online schooling requests, getting transferred to a safer building or dorm, and so on.

 

How to Make a Sanctuary Space At Work or School

Creating a sanctuary space at work or school offers an alternative to explore. While the following tips provide general guidance, it’s important to remember that these strategies may not work for everyone due to varying sensitivities to mold and other biotoxins.

 

Air Filters and PPE

When creating a safer environment at work or school, air filters and PPE are crucial considerations. Utilizing high-quality air filters and appropriate PPE can help reduce exposure to mold and other biotoxins, making the environment safer. Here are some key points to consider:

 

Air Filtration

• Air Oasis Units: Ideal for creating a cross-section of filtered air with two units positioned strategically. Using two Air Oasis filters or other similar high-quality HEPA filtration units is essential. We recommend not using the UV and ion settings unless you’re cleaning the area at least once a week.
• AirTamer: The personal ion device is best used when stationary but should offer additional protection when on the move. It’s ideal to combine this with PPE.
• Dyson Zone: This air-filtration and noise-canceling headphone combination offers the ability to take calls and listen to headphones while it supplies continuous purified air through a detachable visor.
• Portable Cordless HEPA Mini Filter: The rechargeable and cordless option offers another layer of protection for those who frequently move around at work or school. It’s often best when combined with a personal device such as AirTamer or Dyson Zone and PPE.

 

Personal Protection Equipment

• Fully-Sealed N95: Find the right N95 option that fully seals for your face shape. N95s filter out 95% of airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns. It’s ideal to find something with this level of filtration or better such as a N99.
• Aus Air: Reusable masks with disposable filters that filter down to at least 0.3 microns as well are another option to explore. AusAir filters out >99% of airborne particles down to 0.1 microns, offering better protection than N95s.
• 3M Respirators: For highly contaminated areas or highly sensitive individuals, half respirators and full respirators are additional options to explore. It’s ideal to get filtration of P100 or better.
• Nose Filters: Nose filters are another option to explore. They don’t offer the same level of protection as the three options above but may be ideal for speaking arrangements and events where a mask or respirator may not be the most effective option. Similar to masks, it’s important to find an option that properly seals within the nasal cavity.

 

Minimizing Paper

Paper is a porous substance that can easily become contaminated with mold, making it a potential health hazard for individuals with CIRS. To reduce exposure, it’s best to minimize the use of paper, avoid bringing any paper home from contaminated areas, and opt for digital alternatives whenever possible.

 

• Digitalize everything: Consider using your phone for scheduling. Use a computer or tablet for notes, work, studying, and so on. Students can buy most textbooks on Kindle and opt for digital versions instead. Digitalize and scan any important documents you’d like to keep. If you have to write as a part of your process and you don’t want to use your phone or tablet, use one of these paper alternatives:

 

• • Writing Boards: Take notes on writing boards then use your phone to take a screenshot before erasing.
  • Reusable Scannable Notebook: This option links to an app for scanning all notes directly into your phone.

 

• Zipper mesh bags: Consider using these waterproof mesh zipper bags for keeping important paper documents.

 

Ongoing Maintenance

Hygiene: It’s ideal to shower and change clothes daily after getting home from work or school while in treatment. If you know you react to items with cross-contamination, try changing clothes in your garage or entryway and keeping them in a sealed plastic bin so you can transport them directly to your washing machine.

 

Storage: It’s best to keep all work items such as backpacks, handbags, and briefcases in a sealed plastic bin in your garage, porch, or any other decontamination area you use in your home. This helps prevent bringing contaminants into your living spaces.

 

Air Quality: For those going to work or school frequently, it’s even more important to have an air filter in the entryway of your home where you decontaminate or leave your items. The same goes for the garage; if you use the garage as a decontamination area or have an attached garage, it’s ideal to have an air filter running in the garage in addition to inside the entryway of your home. Open-air areas such as the patio don’t need additional air filters.

 

Pro-Tip: For the remainder of these resources and content, join our CIRS Support Group.

 

Closing Thoughts on CIRS Considerations for Work and School

We understand that implementing these strategies may initially seem overwhelming, but with time and practice, they will become second nature. Adopting these habits is crucial while undergoing treatment as full removal from exposure is necessary. The level of caution described here is typically only needed during the active phase of treatment. As you progress through the Shoemaker Protocol and your resilience improves, you will transition to a maintenance mode where such stringent measures may no longer be needed.

 

It’s essential to remember that creating safe and conducive environments at work and school is as important as maintaining a healthy home. We empathize with the challenges you face and are here to support you every step of the way. Stay encouraged, knowing that each action you take brings you closer to root-cause healing. You are not alone on this journey, and with persistence and dedication, you will see the benefits of your efforts. Keep moving forward, and remember that better days are ahead.

 

 

Pro-Tip: Are you looking for more in-depth practitioner resources and a like-minded community to support you through your CIRS journey? Join our exclusive CIRS Support Group for the latest research, step-by-step protocol tools, and support to successfully achieve root-cause healing.

 

Work With Our Trusted CIRS Practitioners

The Nutrition with Judy practice is honored to be a trusted CIRS practitioner support serving clients from around the globe. We’re passionate about helping our clients achieve root-cause healing in order to lead the best quality of life possible that’s nearly symptom-free. Our team is dedicated to finding the answers our patients need. We welcome you to explore our free resources and are always available to support you through personalized protocols. If you’re interested in working one-on-one with our CIRS nutritional therapy team to support you through your journey, our CIRS Support Package delivers the support and accountability for achieving root-cause healing.