While COVID-19 continues to besiege the human population, it has had a positive impact, at least temporarily, in some of the most polluted areas on our planet. Images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) pollution monitoring satellites show the stark contrast in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels over China before and during their quarantine (when transportation and industries were largely shut down). Nitrogen dioxide is a noxious gas emitted by motor vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities. Imagine what would happen if we were able to stop polluting the planet, filter pollutants out of the environment, and focus our efforts on restoring healthy ecosystems in air, land, and water. Within a matter of years, we would see a big improvement in the environment overall. In just a few decades, we would start to notice increasing populations of diverse plants and animals as balance was […]
Mold Illness
Meet the Patient is a series here on the BioDesign Wellness Center blog that showcases actual patients we have treated over the years or are currently treating. It goes without saying that we do not reveal the identity of these patients, changing their names and certain details about their cases in order to ensure their privacy. Our reason for us asking our patients to allow us to share their stories — again anonymously — is for the benefit of the reader who is or knows someone struggling with a similar health condition. It’s for those who perhaps have not received an accurate diagnosis or effective medical treatment. It’s for those who might be giving up hope of ever feeling healthy, energetic, and happy again. Our objective with these case studies is to restore a belief that optimal health and fitness can be achieved, even for those who are chronically ill
While there’s little doubt about what takes priority right now — the virus named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — there are other threats to your health to be aware of and diligent about. Here in Tampa, it’s just a fact of life that mold is very common in our homes and commercial buildings. And as many of us know by now, exposure to moldy and damp environments can cause a variety of health problems. If you’ve researched toxic mold, you know it can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including the following: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and/or bloating Chronic burning in the throat and nasal passages Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath Depression and/or anxiety Difficulty concentrating Disorientation and/or dizziness Eye irritation or tearing of the eyes Fatigue and weakness Headache and/or light sensitivity Hearing loss Heightened sensitivity to chemicals and foods Increased urinary
Meet the Patient is a series on the BioDesign Wellness Center blog showcasing actual patients we have treated over the years or are currently treating. (Each patient’s name and certain details about their case may be changed to ensure privacy.) Our hope is that these case studies resonate with anyone who is or knows someone struggling with a similar health condition and has not received an accurate diagnosis or effective medical treatment — especially those who may be close to giving up hope of ever feeling healthy, energetic, and happy again. Our objective with these case studies is to restore a belief that optimal health and fitness can be sought and achieved, even for those who are chronically ill and may have no clear explanation of the underlying cause of their pain or dysfunction. Meet Barbara Barbara is a thirty-year-old female with multiple severe neurological and other symptoms, including the following:
Last year, we wrote about mold outbreaks at the MacDill Air Force Base and the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center. (See our previous post, “Responding to the Mold Outbreak at VA Bay Pines Center.”) Just this month, Stars and Stripes and the Tampa Bay Times reported that five military families have since filed a federal class-action lawsuit “against owners and managers of private housing at MacDill Air Force Base, alleging years of negligence in persistent problems with mold throughout the buildings.” The lawsuit claims that “the Michaels Organization, the private company responsible for managing the on-base housing at MacDill, knew the houses there had mold and did not protect the health and safety of service members and their families.” In one case, Jason Genrich, a chief warrant officer in the Army, developed chest pains, mood swings, dizziness, and fatigue within five months of moving into military housing at MacDill.
Recent reports published in the Tampa Bay Times— one in which our Dr. Matt Lewis is referenced in — call attention to a serious health problem at a military housing facility and VA medical center in South Florida… chronic, recurring mold outbreaks that are literally making military personnel and their family members, patients, and treatment providers sick. The reports focus specifically on mold present in housing at MacDill Air Force Base and a mold outbreak at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center. However, mold poses a serious health risk throughout Florida, where heat and humidity provide the ideal environment for it to grow. According to the World Health Organization, more than a quarter of U.S. buildings are water-damaged. One can logically conclude that the percentage is significantly higher in Florida, where we receive an average annual rainfall of 60 inches. Nearly 45 million people across the U.S. live or