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. […]
Mold
Approximately 30.8 million Americans, representing 9.5 percent of the adult population, suffer from chronic sinusitis — inflammation of the nasal passages that lasts for at least three months despite treatment. And in Tampa, where chronic nasal issues are rampant, residents are similarly at risk. Symptoms include the following: Nasal congestion Thick, discolored discharge from the nose or throat Post-nasal drip Pain, tenderness, and swelling around the eyes, cheeks, nose, and forehead Impaired or lost sense of smell Persistent cough Symptoms may also include these: Earache Aching teeth or upper jaw Sore throat Bad breath Fatigue Many people who suffer from chronic sinusitis try to
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
If you visit our functional medicine office in Tampa and we determine you might have a health issue related to exposure to mold, we believe a physical checkup of your residence and/or workplace is every bit as important as the medical checkup and treatment you sought through us in the first place. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued a report claiming 50 percent of all buildings in the United States are water damaged. And here in Tampa, we believe that percentage to be much higher. We also believe that finding a professional to conduct a home or office mold inspection should be taken as seriously as it was for you to discover that BioDesign Wellness Center had the expertise and track record to help you regain your health through the proper treatment of mold-related disorders. Unfortunately, we have seen too many patients ignore our advice about a home or
In the first part of this two-part series, “Living with Mold in Tampa: Part 1 — Recognizing the Warning Signs,” we highlighted the symptoms of mold illness and the signs that your home might be contaminated with toxic mold. We also described the four mold toxins that are the biggest concerns: Ochratoxins, Aflatoxins, Trichothecenes, and Gliotoxin. As we mentioned in that post, much of today’s awareness and understanding of mold illness is thanks to the work of Dr. Richie Shoemaker. Until Dr. Shoemaker began publishing on the topic of mold illness, many people suffering as a result of toxic mold remained undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. They were provided with no effective or lasting treatment. Through Dr. Shoemaker’s work, thousands of people have found answers and relief (but many continue to suffer because the majority of doctors are still ill-informed). In Part 2 of this series, we present the three-step diagnostic and
Do you live in Tampa, run across mold in your home or workplace on a regular basis, and have a persistent illness that defies treatment — fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, unexplained allergies, difficulty breathing, recurring or lingering sinus infections? Do you feel as though you’ve been drugged or poisoned? If you feel miserable, and your doctor can’t figure out the cause, it could be something in your home or workplace, your food or water, or perhaps even growing inside you — toxic mold. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions.” In Florida, whether we’re inside or outside, chances are good that mold is growing all around us. Chances are also good that mold is growing in us. Sadly, for us, mold and mold infection are nothing new. However, thanks to Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, a leading authority on