Made for Health
Lyme... Covid... Mold... Oh My!
The Puzzle of Chronic Illness — Unraveling the Truth
Dr. Aaron Hartman
December 17, 2024
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For decades, countless patients like Sarah have battled unexplained fatigue, pain, and brain fog. Sarah tried doctor after doctor, only to hear, “Your labs are normal,” or worse, “It’s all in your head.” She felt unheard, dismissed, and trapped in a loop of frustration.
Sound familiar? If this is you, you’re not alone. Millions worldwide are searching for answers—and there is hope.”
Dr. Richard Horowitz, one of the world’s leading experts on chronic Lyme disease, has spent over 40 years uncovering the complex web of factors behind persistent, life-disrupting illnesses. His discoveries not only shed light on chronic Lyme disease but also reveal crucial overlaps with conditions like long COVID, mold toxicity, and other systemic imbalances.
Dr. Horowitz’s journey has transformed him into more than a physician—he’s a detective of complex illnesses. His work proves a vital truth: Chronic illness is rarely caused by one thing. Instead, it is often a combination of infections, toxins, and immune system dysfunction, all working together to keep you unwell.
If you’ve spent years seeking answers—only to be told your labs are “normal” or your symptoms are “all in your head”—know this: There are answers. There is a roadmap. Dr. Horowitz’s integrative approach has helped thousands of patients uncover the root causes of their illness and reclaim vibrant, healthy lives.
If you’re ready to feel empowered with knowledge and discover actionable steps to begin your healing journey, read on. You don’t have to go it alone—science-backed solutions exist, and hope is closer than you think.
The History of Lyme Disease
A Story of Persistence & Discovery
From a small town in Connecticut to a global epidemic, Lyme disease has remained a mystery to mainstream medicine for far too long.
In the 1970s, when clusters of children in Lyme, Connecticut, began developing unusual joint pain and fatigue, the medical community took notice. What was initially thought to be an isolated inflammatory condition turned out to be caused by a stealthy bacterial infection—Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by tick bites. But what began as a seemingly straightforward discovery quickly spiraled into one of the most misunderstood and controversial illnesses in modern medicine.
“When I started practicing in the 1980s, we thought a simple course of antibiotics would cure Lyme,” recalls Dr. Richard Horowitz. But the reality proved far more complex. Over time, patients didn’t get better. Symptoms persisted long after the initial treatment, leaving people suffering from chronic fatigue, joint pain, neurological issues, and brain fog. Conventional medicine, instead of digging deeper, dismissed these lingering symptoms as psychological or unrelated.
When I started practicing in the 1980s, we thought a simple course of antibiotics would cure Lyme —Dr. Richard Horowitz
Dr. Horowitz—then a young physician working in one of the most Lyme-endemic areas in the U.S.—refused to accept these dead ends. Inspired by the wisdom of his mentors and driven by compassion for his patients, he began asking a critical question: Why are these people staying sick?
This question led him on a decades-long journey of discovery. Each year, he peeled back another layer of complexity:
- Co-infections like Babesia and Bartonella: These often-overlooked infections exacerbate Lyme symptoms, causing sweats, air hunger, and neurological issues.
- Biofilms and persister bacteria: Just as plaque forms on teeth, Lyme bacteria protect themselves with biofilms, making them resistant to conventional antibiotics.
- Environmental toxins and immune dysfunction: Heavy metals, mold exposure, and immune suppression create the perfect storm for chronic illness.
What emerged was the understanding that Lyme disease is far more than a single infection—it is a complex, systemic condition that interacts with other pathogens and toxins to keep patients unwell.
Why Does this Matter to You?
If you’ve been told that a short course of antibiotics should have “cured” you, or if your symptoms have been dismissed, you’re not alone. Chronic Lyme and its co-infections are real, persistent, and often misdiagnosed. Dr. Horowitz’s discoveries laid the foundation for a new approach to chronic illness—one that looks at the whole person and addresses the root causes of why you’re sick.
The history of Lyme disease is not just a story of medical science—it’s a story of patients who refused to give up and of doctors, like Dr. Horowitz, who have worked tirelessly to uncover the truth. Today, we know more than ever before, and there is hope for those who feel lost in the system.
The MSIDS Model
A 16-Point Framework for Chronic Illness
What if your unrelenting fatigue, brain fog, or joint pain wasn’t just one problem—but a combination of hidden factors working together?
For decades, doctors have been trained to treat illnesses through a single-disease, single-treatment approach. But for those suffering from chronic symptoms like fatigue, pain, and cognitive dysfunction, this model falls short. Dr. Richard Horowitz discovered this firsthand while treating patients who weren’t getting better, even with aggressive care. The reason? Chronic illness is not caused by one factor, but a combination of 16 overlapping issues—a framework he calls MSIDS (Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome).
“These patients weren’t just dealing with Lyme disease, They were battling co-infections, toxins, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and more. By systematically addressing each of these factors, we began to see real breakthroughs in recovery.” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
The 16 Factors Behind Chronic Illness
The MSIDS model organizes chronic illness into six primary causes of inflammation and ten downstream effects. Together, they create the perfect storm of persistent symptoms:
The Six Causes:
- Tick-borne Infections: Lyme disease, Babesia, Bartonella, and other infections often work together to overwhelm the immune system.
- Viral Reactivations: Dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr and herpes viruses can reactivate under stress or immune suppression, fueling fatigue and inflammation.
- Mold and Mycotoxins: Over 90% of Dr. Horowitz’s patients show mold toxicity, which poisons the body and disrupts detoxification pathways.
- Heavy Metals and Environmental Toxins: Lead, mercury, pesticides, and petrochemicals add to the toxic burden, blocking the body’s ability to heal.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Key nutrients like vitamins D, B12, and magnesium are often depleted, impairing cellular function and immunity.
- Gut Health and Microbiome Dysfunction: Candida, SIBO, and leaky gut drive inflammation and autoimmunity, worsening symptoms.
Downstream Effects:
These root causes trigger secondary issues that worsen symptoms, including:
- Hormonal Imbalances – Adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, and sex hormone imbalances.
- Mitochondrial Dysfunction – The “powerhouses” of your cells fail, leaving you exhausted and weak.
- Sleep Disorders – Poor sleep further impairs healing and recovery.
- Dysautonomia/POTS – The nervous system malfunctions, causing dizziness, palpitations, and fatigue.
- Pain and Inflammation – Chronic pain from joint, muscle, and nerve inflammation.
Six Root Causes: Lyme, mold, toxins, gut dysfunction, infections, and immune dysregulation.
Why It Matters: Chronic illness thrives when these factors interact. Treating one issue without addressing the others often leads to lingering symptoms.
Why the MSIDS Model Matters
The brilliance of the MSIDS model lies in its whole-person approach. Instead of treating isolated symptoms, it maps out every factor contributing to illness. For example:
- If you only treat Lyme disease without addressing mold toxicity, the patient may never improve.
- If you ignore co-infections like Babesia or Bartonella, fatigue, sweats, and neurological symptoms will persist.
- If you overlook gut health and toxins, inflammation will continue to drive symptoms.
By systematically addressing all 16 factors, the MSIDS model creates a clear and personalized path to healing—one that patients desperately need.
How Does This Help You?
If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, the MSIDS model may hold the answers you’ve been searching for. It reveals why conventional medicine often falls short—because it looks for one problem, not many. With this framework, practitioners can systematically test for and treat the true root causes of your symptoms.
Takeaway: Chronic illness is complex, but it’s not unsolvable. The MSIDS model offers a science-backed, systematic way to identify what’s keeping you sick and how to move forward. In the next section, we’ll explore how long COVID fits into this framework and why it’s so closely tied to Lyme disease and chronic inflammation.
You don’t have to go it alone. There is hope, and there is a path forward.
How Long COVID Complicates Chronic Lyme
If chronic Lyme was a fire smoldering inside you, Long COVID is the gasoline—reigniting inflammation, reactivating viruses, and exhausting the immune system.
Over the last few years, millions of people have experienced lingering symptoms after recovering from COVID-19—symptoms eerily similar to those seen in chronic Lyme disease: persistent fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, shortness of breath, and unexplained inflammation.
For functional medicine practitioners like Dr. Richard Horowitz, this overlap isn’t a coincidence—it’s a clue.
The Overlap Between Long COVID & Chronic Lyme
Both Long COVID and chronic Lyme share a common root cause: systemic inflammation that wreaks havoc on the immune system, nervous system, and cellular function. Dr. Horowitz explains:
“When COVID-19 hits the body, it triggers a cascade of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines—just like Lyme disease. The problem is, this inflammation doesn’t always go away when the virus does. Instead, it reactivates dormant infections, exhausts the immune system, and keeps people sick. ” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
Imagine your body as a house. Lyme disease, mold, and toxins weaken the foundation. Then COVID-19 comes along like a storm, damaging the structure further and uncovering hidden problems like dormant infections or immune exhaustion.
What does this mean? Long COVID doesn’t exist in isolation. In many patients, it acts as a catalyst, uncovering underlying issues like:
- Dormant Infections: Chronic infections like Lyme, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Bartonella can reactivate under immune stress.
- Immune Exhaustion: COVID-19 wears out the immune system’s B and T cells, making it harder to fight off existing infections.
- Toxin Overload: COVID patients often experience increased sensitivity to mold, heavy metals, and environmental toxins.
- Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Both Lyme and COVID impair energy production, leaving patients drained and unable to recover.
A Perfect Storm of Chronic Illness
For those already battling Lyme disease or mold toxicity, COVID-19 often feels like a tipping point. Symptoms that were manageable before the virus can suddenly spiral out of control.
“In the last four years, I’ve noticed a sharp increase in patients with reactivated Lyme, Epstein-Barr, and mold illness after having COVID. It’s like COVID broke down the immune system’s last line of defense.” Dr. Richard Horowitz
This “perfect storm” can include:
- Severe fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest.
- Cognitive dysfunction (brain fog, memory issues).
- Immune suppression leading to recurring infections.
- Dysautonomia (POTS), causing dizziness, rapid heart rate, and palpitations.
The connection is clear: Both Lyme and COVID are multi-systemic conditions. They don’t just impact one area of the body—they trigger an inflammatory response that touches every system, from the brain to the gut.
A Unified Approach to Recovery
The MSIDS Model and Long COVID
The good news is that the MSIDS model—originally designed for chronic Lyme disease—also applies to Long COVID. Dr. Horowitz’s team found that all 16 factors contributing to Lyme also appear in Long COVID patients. For example:
- Chronic infections: COVID often reactivates Lyme, Babesia, and Bartonella.
- Toxins: Patients with high mold or heavy metal exposure are hit harder by COVID.
- Immune dysregulation: COVID can suppress immunity, leading to reactivation of viruses like Epstein-Barr.
- Mitochondrial dysfunction: Impaired cellular energy is a hallmark of both conditions.
By systematically addressing these 16 factors, patients can begin to recover—whether they’re struggling with chronic Lyme, Long COVID, or both.
What You Can Do
If you’re suffering from Long COVID and suspect underlying issues like Lyme disease or mold toxicity, here’s where to start:
- Get Tested: Work with a functional medicine practitioner to test for reactivated viruses (like EBV), Lyme disease, co-infections, and mold toxins.
- Support Your Immune System: Boost immune function with glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and key nutrients like vitamin D and zinc.
- Reduce Inflammation: Use anti-inflammatory therapies such as turmeric, resveratrol, and sulforaphane to calm cytokine storms.
- Address Toxic Burden: Identify and eliminate mold, heavy metals, and environmental toxins that may be overwhelming your body.
- Rebuild Your Energy: Support mitochondrial health with nutrients like CoQ10, B vitamins, and alpha-lipoic acid.Takeaway: Long COVID may feel like the final straw, but it can also be an opportunity to uncover the root causes of your symptoms and finally achieve lasting recovery. By applying the MSIDS model, you can address the full scope of what’s keeping you sick—whether it’s Lyme disease, mold, or immune dysfunction. Long COVID Isn’t the End—It’s a Starting Point
“When you address all the factors—step by step—you can break free from the cycle of chronic illness. Recovery is possible. ” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
Mold & Environmental Toxins
The Overlooked & Underestimated Culprits
It’s not just the Lyme or the virus—mold toxins and heavy metals silently poison the body, keeping you stuck in illness.
For many struggling with chronic illness, there’s a hidden culprit that often goes undiagnosed: mold and environmental toxins. Even as patients treat Lyme disease, Babesia, or long COVID, lingering symptoms can persist. Why? Because the body is burdened by toxins that disrupt detoxification pathways, fuel inflammation, and weaken the immune system.
Dr. Horowitz emphasizes that mold toxicity is one of the most overlooked factors in chronic illness. “Over 90% of my patients show signs of mold exposure,” he explains. “If you’re not addressing mold and other environmental toxins, no amount of antibiotics or antiviral therapy will get you better.”
Over 90% of my patients show signs of mold exposure. If you’re not addressing mold and other environmental toxins, no amount of antibiotics or antiviral therapy will get you better. —Dr. Richard Horowitz
How Mold and Toxins Keep You Sick
Mold exposure happens more often than you think. It’s not limited to visible black mold on walls—it can lurk in your home, office, or even your car, hiding in water-damaged materials, HVAC systems, or poorly ventilated spaces. The toxins mold produces, called mycotoxins, are highly inflammatory and disrupt nearly every system in the body:
- Immune System: Mold toxins suppress immune function, making it harder to fight off infections like Lyme, Bartonella, or viruses.
- Neurological System: Mycotoxins impair cognitive function, causing brain fog, memory loss, and mood changes.
- Hormonal System: Mold toxins can disrupt the adrenal glands and thyroid, leading to fatigue, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances.
- Detoxification Pathways: Mycotoxins overwhelm the liver, impairing the body’s natural ability to eliminate toxins.
Environmental toxins like heavy metals (lead, mercury), pesticides, and petrochemicals exacerbate these effects. As Dr. Horowitz explains:
“We live in a toxic world. The combination of mold, chemicals, and heavy metals puts an immense strain on the body. You cannot heal from chronic illness unless you clear these toxins out.” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
Symptoms of Mold Toxicity and Environmental Overload
If you’re suffering from the following symptoms and haven’t found answers, mold and environmental toxins may be part of the picture:
- Unrelenting fatigue, even after rest
- Brain fog, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating
- Muscle pain, joint stiffness, and headaches
- Sinus issues, coughing, or shortness of breath
- Anxiety, depression, or mood swings
- Sensitivity to smells, chemicals, or light
- Chronic infections that don’t seem to resolve
These symptoms often overlap with Lyme disease, long COVID, and other chronic conditions, making mold toxicity easy to overlook.
Breaking Free: How to Address Mold and Toxins
Recovery from chronic illness requires clearing the body of mold and toxins while supporting detoxification pathways. Dr. Horowitz recommends the following steps:
- Test for Mold Exposure
- Work with a functional medicine practitioner to run blood tests to identify mold toxins in the body.
- Test your home or workspace for mold using air quality assessments and surface sampling.
- Support Detoxification Pathways
- Use binders like activated charcoal, bentonite clay, and chlorella to bind and remove mold toxins from the gut.
- Support the liver with supplements like glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and milk thistle.
- Ensure proper hydration, sweating (via saunas), and bowel regularity to aid in toxin elimination.
- Remove Mold Sources
- Address mold at its source by remediating your home, car, or office. Work with certified professionals to safely remove mold and prevent re-exposure.
- Create a mold-free environment using air purifiers with HEPA filters and dehumidifiers to reduce moisture.
- Reduce Exposure to Environmental Toxins
- Test for heavy metals and consider chelation therapy under the guidance of a practitioner.
- Switch to clean, non-toxic products for your home, food, and personal care.
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in organic, nutrient-dense foods to support the body’s natural detox processes.
Why Mold Matters for You…
If you’ve hit a plateau in your healing journey, mold and environmental toxins may be holding you back. Addressing these hidden drivers of illness can lead to breakthroughs you never thought possible. Dr. Horowitz often sees patients improve dramatically once mold and toxins are removed: “When we help the body detoxify and remove the toxic burden, patients regain their energy, mental clarity, and overall well-being. It’s a critical step in the healing process.”
Takeaway: Chronic illness is rarely caused by a single factor. Mold toxicity and environmental toxins are silent saboteurs that can keep you stuck—no matter how many treatments you’ve tried. By identifying and clearing these toxins, you’ll remove one of the biggest roadblocks to recovery.
Healing is possible, but it requires addressing everything keeping you sick.
Addressing the Nervous System
Brain Retraining as the Missing Link
Your mind holds the key to healing your body—if you know how to retrain it.
For many people suffering from chronic illness, physical symptoms like fatigue, pain, and brain fog dominate their daily lives. But what often goes unnoticed is the role of the nervous system—specifically, how chronic stress, inflammation, and illness can put the body into a perpetual state of “fight or flight.”
Dr. Horowitz highlights this overlooked connection:
“The nervous system plays a huge role in chronic illness. Dysautonomia, POTS, and heightened stress responses prevent the body from fully healing. Unless we retrain the nervous system, other treatments may fall short.” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
The solution? Brain retraining. By calming the nervous system and shifting it out of a survival state, brain retraining helps the body reduce inflammation, restore energy, and return to balance.
The Link Between Chronic Illness and Nervous System Dysfunction
When the body faces chronic infections (like Lyme or Babesia), toxins (like mold), or prolonged stress (like Long COVID), the autonomic nervous system (ANS) can become dysregulated. This state of dysfunction—often seen as dysautonomia or POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)—causes a cascade of symptoms, including:- Dizziness and rapid heart rate when standing
- Anxiety, panic attacks, and overstimulation
- Chronic fatigue and brain fog
- Poor sleep and restless nights
- Digestive issues and poor circulation
Patients often describe this as feeling “wired but tired”—their bodies are stuck in overdrive, unable to rest, repair, or heal. As Dr. Horowitz explains: “The nervous system controls everything from heart rate to digestion. If it’s out of balance, the rest of the body can’t function properly.”
Brain Retraining: What It Is and Why It Works
Brain retraining focuses on “rewiring” the brain to shift the nervous system from a stress state (fight or flight) to a healing state (rest and repair). Techniques like meditation, vagus nerve stimulation, and neural retraining calm the overactive pathways that keep the body stuck in chronic illness.
Dr. Horowitz often recommends brain retraining programs like:
- The Gupta Program (Amygdala and Insula Retraining): A structured system that combines meditation, mindfulness, and cognitive exercises to reduce the body’s stress response. Gupta’s program has been scientifically validated to improve symptoms in conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and Long COVID.
- Annie Hopper’s DNRS (Dynamic Neural Retraining System): This program uses guided neuroplasticity exercises to calm the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for processing stress and trauma.
- Primal Trust: A newer brain retraining program that combines nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and somatic (body-focused) practices.
How Brain Retraining Supports Healing
The benefits of brain retraining go far beyond stress reduction. By calming the nervous system, these techniques:
- Reduce Inflammation: Chronic stress increases inflammatory cytokines in the body. Brain retraining lowers this inflammatory response, helping relieve symptoms like pain and fatigue.
- Improve Energy and Sleep: A balanced nervous system promotes better sleep and restores mitochondrial function, boosting energy levels.
- Calm Anxiety and Overstimulation: Nervous system regulation reduces symptoms of anxiety, panic, and sensory overload.
- Support Detoxification: A calm body enhances circulation, digestion, and liver function, improving the body’s ability to clear toxins.
Is Brain Retraining Right for You?
If you’re dealing with any of the following, brain retraining could be a game-changer:
- Persistent fatigue, brain fog, or anxiety
- Symptoms of POTS or dysautonomia (dizziness, rapid heart rate)
- Difficulty recovering from infections or mold toxicity
- Feeling “stuck” despite other treatments
- Overreaction to stress, light, sound, or chemicals
Dr. Horowitz emphasizes that brain retraining isn’t a replacement for addressing infections, toxins, or nutritional imbalances. Rather, it’s a key piece of the puzzle—a tool that works alongside other treatments to create a foundation for healing.
“You can’t fully heal until your nervous system feels safe and calm. Brain retraining allows the body to move out of survival mode and into repair mode.” —Dr. Richard Horowitz
Where to Start: Simple Tools for Nervous System Healing
If you’re new to brain retraining, begin with these small but powerful steps:
- Daily Meditation: Start with 5–10 minutes a day using apps like Calm or Headspace. Focus on slow, deep breathing to calm the mind.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Try simple exercises like humming, gargling, or cold exposure to activate the vagus nerve and calm the nervous system.
- Mindful Movement: Gentle exercises like yoga, tai chi, or Qigong help balance the body and mind.
- Structured Brain Retraining Programs: Explore programs like Gupta, DNRS, or Primal Trust for a guided, step-by-step approach.
Takeaway: Brain Retraining Unlocks Healing
Chronic illness doesn’t just affect your body—it impacts your brain and nervous system, too. By integrating brain retraining into your healing plan, you can calm inflammation, improve energy, and support the body’s natural ability to repair.
As Dr. Horowitz reminds us: “Healing isn’t just about killing infections or clearing toxins. It’s about creating a safe environment—both physically and mentally—where the body can truly thrive.”
Your body has the power to heal, and your mind can help guide the way.
The Path Forward…
Healing is Possible
Chronic illness is complex, but recovery doesn’t have to feel impossible. Science-backed solutions—and practitioners who care—can guide you there.
For too long, those suffering from chronic Lyme disease, Long COVID, mold toxicity, and persistent fatigue have been left feeling unheard, dismissed, and hopeless. The journey is exhausting: doctor after doctor, test after test, and still no answers. But as Dr. Richard Horowitz’s decades of work have shown, there are answers—and there is hope.
The key to healing lies in understanding that chronic illness is not caused by a single issue. It’s a complex interplay of infections, toxins, inflammation, and immune dysfunction. By addressing all root causes—using a comprehensive approach like the MSIDS model—you can finally begin to break free from the cycle of chronic symptoms.
A Roadmap to Recovery
Healing isn’t a quick fix; it’s a journey. But with the right roadmap, you can move forward with clarity and confidence. To recap, here’s the path to recovery:
- Identify the Root Causes: Test for Lyme, co-infections, mold toxicity, and viral reactivations.
- Calm Inflammation and Detoxify: Reduce toxic burden and support your body’s natural detox pathways.
- Treat Persistent Infections: Address Lyme disease, Babesia, Bartonella, and other pathogens with a targeted plan.
- Support Your Energy Systems: Rebuild mitochondrial health and improve restorative sleep.
- Retrain Your Nervous System: Use brain retraining programs and vagal nerve stimulation to shift into a healing state.
- Commit to Whole-Person Healing: Combine nutrition, emotional support, and lifestyle changes for long-term well-being.
Detailed Action Steps
Final Thought: You Were Made for Health
Your health journey may feel overwhelming right now, but you don’t have to stay stuck. Science-backed solutions exist, and hope is closer than you think. With a clear roadmap, compassionate support, and the right tools, you can move from feeling lost and frustrated to feeling healthy, hopeful, and empowered.
Ready to take control of your health? Let us guide you.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
Healing is not about masking symptoms—it’s about addressing the root causes, layer by layer, and giving your body the support it needs to heal itself.
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Find a Functional Medicine Practitionerwho can guide you through a holistic framework like we’ve discussed here.
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Educate Yourselfabout Lyme disease, mold toxicity, Long COVID, and the factors that keep you sick.
You’ve made it through this article and that’s a great start! - Start Small: Begin calming inflammation and supporting detox.
…If you’re looking for a clear next step… I recommend you begin by healing your gut:
Restore Your Brain-Gut Connection & Reclaim Your Energy Without Wasting Endless Hours at Specialists Who Tell You “Everything Looks Normal”
