When someone discovers they have a mold problem in their home or other living space, they often wonder how to deal with the situation. The most important thing to do first is to follow the First Rule of Toxicology and “remove the person from the toxin, or the toxin from the person” (Campbell, personal communication, April 6, 2021). In this case, the toxin is mold and the chemical byproducts mold produces, including mycotoxins, are dangerous to human health (Campbell, personal communication, April 6, 2021).

In the case of water/mold damage, a person needs to stop the source of the water/mold damage as quickly as possible. Working with professional water/mold remediators is the wisest choice to ensure the building returns to a healthy state. If the area of mold contamination is more than 10 square feet (roughly an area greater than 3 feet by 3 feet), then, according to the EPA, it should be professionally remediated (2).

My husband and I personally experienced the...

How to Determine if a Human Health Challenge is Due to Mycotoxins

In the June 2021 BWC For Horse Lovers Newsletter I introduced the subject of how mold and their toxic byproducts, mycotoxins, can harm human health.

Dr. Andrew W. Campbell notes that molds can cause four main problems for people:

1. Infection
2. Hypersensitivity or Allergic Reactions
3. Irritant Reactions
4. Toxic Reactions (Campbell, personal communication, April 6, 2021).

In this July 2021 BWC For Horse Lovers Newsletter I am writing to share information on how to properly determine if the body is currently being burdened by toxic reactions to mycotoxins produced by molds.

But first I will provide a little introduction as to why we should always think about mycotoxins as a possible cause of human suffering.

As Blackwell (2011) notes, molds are an integral part of nature’s recycling system. Dr. Campbell teaches us that of the more than 100,000 species of molds, thankfully, only about 2 dozen are harmful to people, most...

No, this is not a painting from Jackson Pollock on a day when he was tired. This is a work of art by Mother Nature's Mold species on a wall in someone's home!

The February 2021 winter storm of Texas made a big impact on thousands of homeowners who experienced water damage within their homes from burst water pipes. My husband and I were among this group. This brought the impact of mold on human health acutely to my attention. I would like to share some highlights of what I have learned in the hope that it will benefit the reader. 

What are molds? Molds are members of the kingdom Fungi, and they are some of the primary decomposers of natural materials within the natural world. They are an essential component of the biological balance within our natural environment. Some molds are useful to mankind, such as a strain of Penicillium mold from which the antibiotic Penicillin is derived. Another Penicillium mold creates Stilton, or Blue cheese (1).

Of the more than 100,000...

IntellxxDNA Genomics Testing

helping you discover

'Your Book Of You'!

by

Cate Cummings APRN FNP IFMCP ReCODE 2.0 Certified Practitioner

I am excited to share with you a unique offering that we at BWC For Horse Lovers have added to our practice. We are now offering genomics testing using IntellxxDNA. Genomics is the science of small changes called variants in your DNA. IntellxxDNA genomics allows us to provide state of the art personalized medicine. Your DNA is ultimately 'Your Book of You' or your own personal 'User Manual'. Getting to know yourself down to the DNA level can truly help you optimize your health!

IntellxxDNA allows for me, as the clinician, to look at over 600 variants in your DNA that help make you unique. These variants can contribute to chronic diseases such as cognitive decline, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, gut issues and more. It also allows me to look at gene variants related to how various nutrients and hormones are transported...

I am very excited to share with everyone the story of a historic, uncompromising, international award-winning, superlative olive oil company – Berkeley Olive Grove 1913!

Most people by now have heard of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and how eating such a diet seems to be very beneficial for health. One of the most recognized healthy foods within the MD is high-quality olive oil. High-quality olive oil is now recognized as one of the essential cornerstones to good health for most people and is now known to help prevent many chronic degenerative diseases when used in conjunction with other healthy dietary and lifestyle factors (1).

I have been trying to learn more about what really is high-quality olive oil and where can I find it. My research over the last few months led me on an interesting journey through various Mediterranean countries, but in the end I discovered that one of the very BEST olive oils is actually grown and produced right here in the United States of America!...

By Cate Cummings FNP IFMCP

This month I would like to share with you the importance of working with a biological dentist to maintain healthy teeth and gums and a healthy oral microbiome (which is the balance of microbes within our mouths).

A most fortunate aspect of my Texas location is that I live about an hour away from one of the very best biological dentists in the United States. His name is Dr. Stuart Nunnally and his practice is called Nunnally Freeman & Owens. Healthy Smiles For Life. He is located in Marble Falls, Texas. Dr. Nunnally has been both my dentist and my husband’s dentist for the past several years. Our health has greatly benefited from his dedication to helping people have healthy teeth and a healthy oral microbiome!

Dr. Nunnally has clients come to his Texas office literally from all over the world! He has a genuinely kind and friendly personality and is an expert at helping people restore their oral health back to an optimal state. By doing so, his...

By Cate Cummings APRN, FNP, IFMCP

I am betting that I have a good surprise for you! Yes, a good surprise! Hooray! And, once you learn about it, you will marvel about the intricacies of the human body!

This surprise has to do with how we can help optimize our Circulation! That is a super important topic as we all need good circulation in order to be healthy!

Ok, here we go.... I am going to discuss what is referred to as the Endothelial Glycocalyx! I know that is a mouthful, so we can call it the EGX, for short. 

The EGX is a micro-thin structure lining all of our blood vessels that has everything to do with our health. On the microscopic view it looks like a fine hairy shag rug (please see below). We want to protect our EGX so that we can stay strong and healthy! And, because the EGX has been found to be so important in human medicine, it is now being studied in equine veterinary medicine, as well!

What most of us do not know is that in a healthy state there is a...

By Cate Cummings APRN, FNP, IFMCP

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these companies, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

It was time to get a new cutting board. Actually, I had not used a cutting board in a while as we had packed everything up to move to another state. But, we wound up not moving, and, in truth, I had a suspicion that the cutting boards I had been using in the past were not really health promoting because of how they were made.

So, I went searching online for a cutting board made of health promoting materials. I found out that there are a plethora of scary...

By Cate Cummings APRN, FNP, IFMCP

I have been on a big learning curve recently after a significant head trauma which happened while calmly standing next to one of my horses. I have no memory of the incident (which has its pros and cons!), but as a result I set about to understand what really has been going on inside that boney skull of mine!

Before I begin to share the exciting information about healing from brain trauma, I just want to say that I was extremely fortunate to have my husband, Ron, nearby to save my life and that my brain injury did not impact my frontal cortex (so that, as a result, I can still think clearly!). It did impact my cerebellar region which is at the back of the skull, so I have some balance issues that I am busy healing up. Five weeks after the injury, I rode one of my horses and that was very uplifting as I love being with them. The very process of riding my horse works toward healing my brain because riding requires the cerebellar neurons to get to work...