Molds and Mycotoxins (Toxic Molds) in Human Health
March 1, 2008
|In Position Papers
It is commonly recognized that a large body of medical literature and extensive clinical experience indicates that sufficiently high exposures to indoor airborne mold can lead to disease in otherwise healthy individuals. Since environmental health has not been a focus of medical education, many physicians are not fully aware of the scope of mold related health problems and are inadequately equipped to investigate and manage possible cases of mold exposure in a timely fashion.
Exposure to significant levels of indoor mold can cause acute or chronic dysfunction or injury to all organ systems including the respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, genitourinary, ,gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, immune (through both immediate and non-IgE mechanisms) and hematological systems. In addition to the resulting more commonly considered respiratory conditions such as asthma and rhinosinusitis, exposure to mold proteins and mycotoxins has been associated with fatigue, reduced concentration, imbalance, poor memory and hemorrhagic disorders.
Mold contaminated buildings may well require prompt, serious remediation since avoiding further exposure is the first step in treatment as well as a major part of disease prevention.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) recommends continuing research regarding mold related health problems and suggests that experienced health authorities disseminate knowledge about this public health issue in order to achieve widespread clinical competence among health professionals in the investigation and management of actual or alleged mold exposure. Supporting medical and scientific literature on this issue, along with opportunities for formal training in environmental health, are available through the AAEM.
Approved by the Board of Directors of the American
Academy of Environmental Medicine on March 1, 2008.
Dr. Sprague has had a long career in family practice, allergy treatment, and environmental medicine. His history includes eight years as a family physician in Beeville, Texas. In his practice there, he concentrated on primary care, with a special interest in obstetrics. During this time, he delivered 2,000+ babies, the last two being his own. It was during this time that Dr. Sprague first became involved in alternative and environmental medicine.
From 1980 to 1986 Dr. Sprague studied and practiced all aspects of environmental medicine at a prominent clinic in Dallas, Texas, including alternative Low Dose Allergy treatments, which he continues to offer today. During this time he also established a ground-breaking Pre-Menstrual Syndrome Clinic. He is certified by the American Board of Environmental Medicine in all aspects of environmental medicine, including nutrition, toxicology, allergies, chemical sensitivity and occupational medicine.
Then following a childhood dream, Dr. Sprague began an active duty Naval career which took him from occupational health doctor, to flight surgeon, and finally, to board certified Aerospace Medicine Specialist. He served as the Senior Medical Officer on two aircraft carriers before retiring in the fall of 1999.
Dr. Sprague returned to Texas in 1999 to re-open his private practice, but was soon lured by NASA in Houston, Texas to act as their Medical Director, Occupational Medicine Clinic and Project Manager for medical aspects of astronaut training.
Additionally, in conjunction with his training and interest in aviation medicine, Dr. Sprague is a qualified pilot and Senior FAA Medical Examiner, who provides FAA flight physicals to many local pilots.
Upon retiring from NASA in 2003, Dr. Sprague began working in wound care and hyperbarics in Webster, Texas, and continues to work in this field to this date.
Due to the unique characteristics of the clinic at South Coast Hyperbaric Medicine, he was able to begin hyperbaric treatments for children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, traumatic brain injured children and adults, and stroke victims, along with the usual wound care patients. The results were impressive.
Since 2004, Dr. Sprague has continued to treat Autistic and developmentally delayed children in his private practice, offering LDA allergy treatment for their food allergies, counseling and education in nutritional supplements geared toward this population, and various DAN! protocols
Joseph Ladapo, MD, PhD is the surgeon general of Florida and professor at University of Florida College of Medicine. He received his MD from Harvard Medical School and a PhD in Health Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ladapo worked as an associate professor of general internal medicine and a health policy researcher at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. He lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife and children.
Brianna Ladapo is an intuitive spiritual healer, movement therapist, and teacher. She has a master’s degree in English from Harvard University and has studied traditional naturopathy, plant and herbal medicine, and shamanism. She lives in Florida with her husband and three boys, where she works with nonprofit organizations to heal trafficked and exploited children.
Throughout her extensive medical career, Dr. Suzanne Gazda has been committed to the highest standards in patient care that always focus on the most individualized protocols. Renowned for her “patients are people first” approach, Dr. Gazda’s career represents an extraordinary wealth of experience beginning with her first days of study at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Board-certified in neurology, she subsequently founded the Neurology Institute of San Antonio (NISA) and has participated in more than 200 clinical research studies for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, headache, and epilepsy.
From this diverse perspective in neurological disorders and in response to the burgeoning critical needs, Dr. Gazda expanded the scope of her practices to include the evaluation and treatment of long COVID and COVID vaccine injuries. Dr Gazda works closely with the FLCCC (Front Line COVID Critical Care Alliance) with education focused on understanding the neurological impacts post-pandemic, post infection and vaccine. She says, “We are facing a Tsunami of chronic illness” and therefore it is critically important for all care providers to understand the concepts of Long COVID and Post vaccine injury. She also has completed extensive learning in Functional Medicine, a systems-based approach that addresses the root cause of disease. This knowledge base and insight enhances her patient care and diagnostic capabilities with clinically proven therapies for many neurological disorders and diseases.
Additionally, she has taken her compassionate skills to distant global locales, studying neurological disorders in remote places where access to care and adequate research is typically limited. Her work with Hope for Humans made a profound impact on the lives of many children and families in Northern Uganda struggling to identify and receive appropriate treatments for some of the rarest conditions.
Among her many professional associations, Dr. Gazda was first appointed in April 2020 by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to serve on the state’s 14-member Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Advisory Council. The council advises the commission and the legislature on research, diagnosis, treatment, and education relevant to pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome and related disorders (PANS/PANDAS). A lifelong Texan, Dr. Gazda is the proud mother of three daughters and devoted grandmother of five.
Rob Besner, PSc.D, the Chief Science Officer, device developer and cofounder of Therasage, Premier Infrared Healing Products, recognized as the leader in integrated infrared technology. Rob has always been an advocate of natural health and wellness. Graduating from Boston University in Pre-Med, Engineering, Psychology, and Business, he continued onto post-graduate work at Case Western Medical School and Holistic Medicine. After many years of illness, Mr. Besner’s teenage daughter was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. This began his mission to find alternative, holistic and homeopathic avenues of treatment. He discovered the natural healing effects of Infrared frequencies and began developing specialized devices and applications to help his daughter with her health challenge. When he saw the positive results, he felt compelled to share what he had discovered, and formed Therasage, now recognized as the leader in integrated Infrared technology. Therasage has built a reputation with the healthcare community and mainstream public by educating and creating special cutting edge applications and protocols, unique from the rest.
A Professor for the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, annual contributor at the World Committee on Infrared, a member of the Education Committee of the prestigious Hippocrates Health Institute, a presenter at many Medical, Integrative, and Anti-Aging Health Conferences, as well as an invited contributor on many pod-casts online summits, on-air radio and TV health shows around the world, best-selling author, and considered a leading scientist in the field of Integrated InfraRed technology. Besner continues to research and develop new devices and health science applications to bring the power of healing with nature to the world.
Bob Miller, CTN is a Traditional Naturopath specializing in the field of genetic-specific nutrition. He earned his traditional naturopathic degree from Trinity School of Natural Health and is board certified through the ANMA. In 1993, he opened the Tree of Life practice where he has served as a traditional naturopath. For the past several years, he has been engaged exclusively with functional nutritional genetic variants and related research.
An Educator
Bob lectures nationally and internationally at seminars to educate health care practitioners about genetic variants and nutritional supplementation for achieving optimal health, and holds live webinars every other Thursday evening for health professionals. In 2016, he created an online certification course on genetic nutrition for health professionals now training over 900 health professionals in the program.
A Researcher
To support his growing genetic research efforts, in 2015, Bob founded and personally funds, the NutriGenetic Research Institute to research the relationship between genetic variants and presenting symptoms.
This research led to several awards from ILADS.
A Nutritional Supplement Formulator
Bob has created 88 nutritional supplement products exclusively for health professionals. The products he formulated are based upon his genetic research and are designed to support function that may be impaired by genetic weakness.
Genetic Analysis Software Creator
Bob is the founder and president of Functional Genomic Analysis, an online software program that organizes and analyzes genetic SNPs for functional health professionals.
Memberships:
Dr. Medeya Tsnobiladze is a Naturopathic physician practicing in Connecticut. She has a 12 year teaching experience training Physician Assistant students and Naturopathic medical students. Prior to arrival in the United States, she obtained MS degree in Biophysics and trained at Neuroscience PhD program.
Currently specializing in Integrative Neurology, she combines her deep understanding of physiology and biochemistry of the body with core naturopathic approach of treating the whole person.
As a global thought leader on the health dangers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for over 27 years, Jeffrey Smith has authored 2 bestsellers, directed 5 documentaries, delivered 2,000 lectures and interviews in 45 countries, trained 1,500 speakers, and organized more than 10,000 grassroots advocates.
Jeffrey has counseled world leaders on six continents, and his meticulous research presented at medical conferences inspired thousands to prescribe non-GMO and organic diets.
The success of the GMO education movement he pioneered is measured in part by the 48% of world consumers who acknowledge GMOs are unhealthy.
Taking on GMO 2.0
Jeffrey and IRT are now sounding the alarm about new genetic engineering techniques, such as gene editing. Unregulated, GMO 2.0 can cause health and environmental disasters.
The most urgent danger comes from genetically engineered microbes. Jeffrey is stewarding a global effort to prevent their release.
Mr. Simon has been engaged in the practice of law with focus on litigation and trial work since 1989. Between 1989 and 1992 Mr. Simon worked as an attorney in New York City medium and small size boutique firms doing complex commercial litigation. Between 1992 and 1994 Mr. Simon worked as head trial in house attorney for one of the largest real estate holding companies in New York City, the Estate of Sol Goldman. By 1994 Mr. Simon went into private practice with focus on emergency litigation including restraining orders, injunctions.
By the end 1999 Mr. Simon’s practice shifted its focus towards the representation of health care practitioners and health care enities. Initially the practice was involved in the representation of healthcare practitioners in cases involving insurance fraud. And the disciplinary ramifications associated with the litigation.
Dr. Dayan Goodenowe is an expert on the biochemical mechanisms of aging and disease. In 1999, he invented a technology platform that could simultaneously measure thousands of biochemicals in blood. Tens of thousands of human samples have been analyzed from healthy and diseased persons of all ages. The biochemical data collected has enabled Dr. Goodenowe to identify specific biochemical system failures (Prodromes) that occur with aging and prior to the occurrence of disease. In addition to predicting disease and death before it happens, Dr. Goodenowe designs bioidentical metabolic intermediates to correct prodromes, prevent disease, and increase longevity and vitality.
Neil Nathan, MD has been practicing medicine for 50 years, and has been Board Certified in Family Practice and Pain Management and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine and a Founding Diplomate of ISEAI. He has written several books, including Healing is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses and On Hope and Healing: For Those Who Have Fallen Through the Medical Cracks. He has hosted an internationally syndicated radio program/podcast on Voice America called The Cutting Edge of Health and Wellness Today. He has been working to bring an awareness that mold toxicity is a major contributing factor for patients with chronic illness and lectures internationally on this subject which led to the publication of his ebook, Mold and Mycotoxins: Current Evaluation and Treatment, 2016, (now updated to 2022), and then to his best-selling book Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Environmental Illness.
Winter of 2021 saw the publication of Energetic Diagnosis, a discussion of the value of intuition and energetic devices as an aid to both diagnosis and treatment of medical illness. His newest book is planned for release by Spring, 2023, Why Am I So Sensitive? (and what to do about it).
He can be contacted most easily through his website www.neilnathanmd.com, through which consultations are available. He is currently providing mentorship in the treatment of chronic inflammatory illness to approximately 150 physicians, with Jill Crista, ND and for those interested in mentorship, please use the website to register.
Dr. Nathan has been treating chronic complex medical illnesses for 30 years now, and Lyme disease for the past 20 years. As his practice has evolved, he finds himself increasingly treating the patients who have become so sensitive and toxic that they can no longer tolerate their usual treatments, and his major current interest is in finding unique ways of helping them to recover.
Dr. McCullough is an internist, cardiologist, epidemiologist holding degrees from Baylor University, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, University of Michigan, and Southern Methodist University. He manages common infectious diseases as well as the cardiovascular complications of both the viral infection and the injuries developing after the COVID-19 vaccine in Dallas TX, USA. Since the outset of the pandemic, Dr. McCullough has been a leader in the medical response to the COVID-19 disaster and has published “Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection” the first synthesis of sequenced multidrug treatment of ambulatory patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the American Journal of Medicine and subsequently updated in Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine. He has dozens of peer-reviewed publications on the infection and has commented extensively on the medical response to the COVID-19 crisis in TheHill, America Out Loud, and on FOX NEWS Channel. Dr. McCullough testified multiple times in the US Senate, Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Arizona Senate and House of Representatives, Colorado General Assembly, New Hampshire Senate, Pennsylvania Senate, and South Carolina Senate concerning many aspects of the pandemic response. Dr. McCullough has had years of dedicated academic and clinical efforts in combating the SARS-CoV-2 virus and in doing so, has reviewed thousands of reports, participated in scientific congresses, group discussions, press releases, and has been considered among the world’s experts on COVID-19.
As a Functional and Integrative physician, Dr McCann utilizes her extensive knowledge of root causes in her thriving practice, The Spring Center, located in Costa Mesa, CA. Dr McCann lectures regularly at professional conferences on various topics including, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Mold illness and Chronic infections. She is on the Board of Directors for 2 professional organizations, The American Academy of Environmental Medicine and The International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness. A graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Dr McCann completed a combined residency program in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in Arizona. She holds a Board Certified in Integrative Medicine through the American Board of Physician’s Specialties, after completion of the Residential Fellowship at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. As well as Board certifications in Functional Medicine and Medical Acupuncture. She was the host of Many Manifestations of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Summit and a co-host of the Allergy and Asthma Summit.
Kelli Foulkrod, MS, LPA, LPC, RYT is a holistic psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and aspiring regenerative farmer. Kelli’s private practice, Organic Mental Health Center has been thriving in Austin, Texas for 10 years. With over 20 years in the mental health industry, she has worked with depression clinical research trials, somatic psychology, therapeutic yoga, workshops for therapists, individuals, and groups and published in multiple peer reviewed journal articles on holistic mental health.
Kelli’s specialties include perinatal mental health, PTSD and C-PTSD, holistic mental health treatments, ssri tapering support, and medical trauma from iatrogenic injuries. She integrates somatic psychology, energy practices, and internal family systems (IFS) in collaboration with functional medicine practitioners for transformational healing.
Kelli was a co-founder of the nonprofit, Pregnancy and Postpartum Health Alliance of Texas for mental health resources and services to pregnant and postpartum women. Currently, Kelli volunteers for React19 as their mental health coordinator for iatrogenic injuries across the United States. Kelli is also working on a startup mental care farm to serve as a holistic alternative to the traditional psychiatric hospital model.
Derek W. Guillory, MD, has a passion for functional medicine that was born out of his own personal struggle with health concerns that began before the age of 17. He has an insatiable curiosity for the question most often asked by his patients… “Why am I sick?”
Dr. Guillory became one of the first certified functional medicine practitioners in Texas in 2015. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education at Baylor University in 1997, graduating Magna Cum Laude. In 2001, he graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He continued his medical training in Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, graduating in 2004. He has been continuously Board Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine since 2005.
