The debate between the benefits of natural vs. synthetic treatments sometimes plays out without considering scientific evidence. For most patients, a treatment that is natural or that involves a change in diet is more desirable than taking a synthetic medication. However, medications that are synthesized in labs provide help to millions of people every day. To the healthcare providers that prescribe these medications, the benefits outweigh the risks. Cholestyramine is…

The path from diagnose of a biotoxin illness through treatment and recovery can be a long and difficult one. Dr. Shoemaker’s discoveries in the late 1990s were the beginning of a wider recognition of CIRS and biotoxin-related health conditions. Over the years, many other doctors have added to the research and have improved treatment protocols. Despite this, there is widespread lack of acceptance of mold-related illnesses by the majority of…

Cholestyramine (CSM) is has been used for many years and has a variety of possible applications. It is FDA-approved to lower cholesterol levels but has numerous off-label uses. Cholestyramine’s ability to bind to toxins makes it an especially useful treatment for biotoxin illness. It is used to treat many conditions including diabetes, Crohn’s, Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), and hyperthyroidism. Cholestyramine itself is not absorbed by the body, but binds…

Brewer Protocol and Biotoxin Illness In our last blog we talked about the Shoemaker Protocol, which is one method of treating biotoxin illness associated with exposure to mycotoxins. In this blog we’re going to talk about an alternative called the Brewer Protocol. Developed by Dr. Joseph Brewer and his colleagues, this protocol focuses on the colonization of bacteria in the sinus cavities. According to Dr. Brewer’s research this is the…

Dr. Richie Shoemaker is one of the leading physicians and researchers studying illness related to mold exposure. He has written extensively on how mold exposure contributes to a range of health problems including CIRS. His website and books are the go-to resources for anyone suffering from biotoxin illness as well as for medical professionals treating the condition. Certification in the Shoemaker Protocol is available to doctors through survivingmold.com, which is…

Biotoxin illness (or mold sickness) is one of those illnesses that can be difficult to detect at first. When you start experiencing symptoms you may confuse them with another kind of illness or not pay attention to them. It isn’t always apparent that you have a mold problem in your house or work environment. Anywhere in a building where moisture is present is a place for mold to grow. Leaks…