Fungal or mycotic lung diseases are a growing public health concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that even previously harmless types of fungal organisms are beginning to create serious illness in those whose immune...
Bacterial, viral and fungal infections of the sinuses can lead to disabling conditions. Mixtures with tea tree oil have been shown to possess antibacterial and antifungal activities potentially effective as a therapy against sinusitis. Consult a...
ABPA refers to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a condition in which the immune system exhibits a hypersensitive response to the fungus, Aspergillus. The most common species of Aspergillus that elicits ABPA is fumigatus, which is...
Scientists once considered fungi plants. Now it is clear they are a distinctly different type of organism. Unable to produce their own food as plants do, fungi are opportunistic feeders and can live on decaying matter, foods and living...
Yeast infections result when the Candida albicans fungus colonizes specific areas of the body, such as the vagina, skin, mouth or stomach. Vaginal yeast infections strike 75 percent of women at least once in their lifetime, and 90 percent of...
Some consumers prefer natural foods to processed foods. This trend has created an interest in purchasing raw foods. Unprocessed products such as cane sugar have become increasingly popular. Scientific research, however, indicates that raw sugar...
Rare pulmonary diseases can be inherited or acquired by exposure to millions of microorganisms that populate the atmosphere. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can invade the lungs, causing disease and lung infections. Disease-producing organisms can...
Combining rice and the aspergillus oryzae fungus produces several traditional Japanese products, including the alcoholic drink sake. Amazake, a nonalcoholic Japanese drink made from this pairing, is another Japanese dietary staple. Amazake is used...
You may associate lactic acid with dairy products, such as yogurt and sour cream, since the name is similar to the sugar molecule lactose. The two, however, are markedly different since lactose comes from animal products such as dairy and lactic...
The University of Minnesota states that mold is belongs to the fungi family. It lives and reproduces on organic matter, with around 100 indoor mold types posing a threat to human health through released toxins. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control...
The immune system protects the body from infections. People living with HIV/AIDS have a weakened immune system, which increases their susceptibility to a variety of infections, including pneumonia. The same germs that cause pneumonia in otherwise...
Mold is a type of fungi that generally grows in dark, moist conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common indoor molds include Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Alternaria. Side effects...
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites or toxic chemical offspring of certain fungal species that are found naturally in the fields where food crops are grown or that sometimes contaminate harvested crops during storage. Food products made from...
Avoiding unnecessary chemicals in your food is always smart. However, some chemicals, such as potassium sorbate, are so useful that their elimination would be akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Cheeses often develop spots of mold...
Some fungi grow as molds, while others exist in two forms, or dimorphic---either as molds or budding yeast. Fungi can cause pneumonia in healthy people who travel to endemic areas in the United States or Central America; they can also cause...
According to DoctorFungus.org, fungi, which are plant-like organisms that lack chlorophyll, exist as budding yeasts or molds. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, yeastlike fungi include Candida and Cryptococcus. Molds include...
Vitamin D3 is a synthesized form of vitamin D the body creates from exposure to ultraviolet-B, or UVB, sunlight. This compound is essential in the formation and maintenance of strong bones as it helps the body absorb calcium. Additionally, vitamin...
Your intestinal tract contains a wide variety of beneficial bacteria as well as some pathogenic bacteria, molds and fungi. Normally, the "good" bacteria outnumber the pathogenic species. However, environmental exposure to excessive...
Rhus coriaria is also known as sumac or sumach. You consume the purplish-red fruits, which usually are sold dried and ground. You'll find it as a supplement in tablet or capsule form. The theoretical health benefits from Rhus coriaria are as an...
Fungi in foods can have dangerous effects on human health. Some fungi produce a potent toxin known as aflatoxin. Aflatoxins can affect peanuts and other nuts as well as corn, cottonseed, dairy products, spices such as black pepper and soybeans....
Although corn is grown throughout the United States, it's the predominant crop of the Heartland region, which includes the states of Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri. According to the U.S....
Fungus in the ear is commonly caused by the fungus aspergillus, or candida. This condition is also called otomycosis. Fungal infection of the ear is commonly seen in tropical climates. It is more common in hot climates and in highly humid...
There are two types of black mold: Stachybotrys and Aspergillus niger. Both produce mycotoxins that are poisonous to the human body. Physicians have identified several illnesses that may result when the mold spores are inhaled or come in contact...
Fermented foods have been part of native diets worldwide for over 5,000 years and in some cultures provide up to 40 percent of the local diet, according to Our World, the website for United Nations University. Fermented foods provide numerous...
Black mold, also referred to as mold or mildew, is a type of fungus that produces a fluffy or powdery growth on surfaces. Black mold is able to grow on many household surfaces, such as carpets, cloth, leather, wood, insulation and food. Exposure...
Protein is an essential nutrient required to build muscle and support other biological processes, but you only benefit from this nutrient if your body is able to digest and absorb it. When more protein is consumed than your body can handle, the...
Although known fungi species total over 1 million, your body can play host to about 400, according to Doug Kaufmann, host of the cable television series "Know The Cause" and an expert on fungi. You may knowingly eat some of them. Others make their...
Lactobacillus and Aspergillis oryzae, or A. oryzae, are beneficial organisms used by humans in different ways. Lactobacilli – the plural of lactobacillus – are bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract. A. oryzae has been used in...
Alkaloids are a large group of substances that occur naturally in plants and usually have a bitter taste. Some common examples include caffeine, morphine, nicotine, quinine and strychnine. Alkaloids in many plant species have antimicrobial...
