In recent years, families have found themselves navigating a new landscape of children’s health. What used to be a simple virus can leave lasting effects, such as fatigue, brain fog, or mood changes, long after the fever has subsided. Parents are noticing subtle yet troubling shifts in behavior and cognition, while clinicians are uncovering deeper roots, including disruptions in the gut microbiome, hormonal changes during growth, the hidden burden of environmental toxins, and even mitochondrial dysfunction. The resilience that so often defines childhood is being tested in complex ways, with physical, emotional, and environmental factors intertwining like never before.

In this episode, Dr. Elisa Song joins Dr. Eric Gordon to discuss how long COVID shows up in children, the emerging science around the gut-brain connection, and the role of toxins and metabolic imbalances in shaping pediatric health.

Episode Highlights

• Kids may look healthy after COVID, yet parents notice quiet shifts such as brain fog, mood swings, or loss of focus that point to deeper disruptions.
• The gut is not just about digestion; it is a command center for immunity, inflammation, and even how children think and feel.
• Puberty adds a hidden layer of complexity with hormonal changes amplifying the effects of toxins, infections, and stress.
• Mitochondria are often overlooked in pediatrics, yet dysfunction here can explain fatigue, headaches, and learning struggles.

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About Elisa Song, MD

Dr. Song is a Stanford, NYU, and UCSF trained integrative pediatrician, functional medicine expert, and bestselling author of “Healthy Kids Happy Kids: An Integrative Pediatrician’s Guide to Whole Child Resilience”. Through her practice and online resource Healthy Kids Happy Kids, she has helped thousands of families bridge conventional and integrative medicine to address root causes and support children’s long-term health.

Learn more, visit:

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Here's the scenario: you've been struggling with Long COVID symptoms for months, experiencing brain fog, fatigue, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. You've tried everything, but nothing seems to work.

For many with Long COVID, mold exposure and mast cell activation syndrome create a perfect storm for symptoms to develop and persist.

In this episode of the Gordon Medical Forum podcast, Dr. Nafysa Parpia and Dr. Jill Crista examine how hidden mold exposure triggers mast cell activation syndrome, making some people far more susceptible to severe Long COVID symptoms.

Episode Highlights

• How mycotoxins from hidden mold trigger mast cell activation and create the perfect storm for Long COVID susceptibility
• Research revealing how spike protein binding to neurological receptors may explain the symptoms of Long COVID, and therapeutic approaches targeting these receptor pathways
• Why modern building practices, EMF exposure, and antifungal resistant mold are creating unprecedented health challenges
• Why treating colonized mold in the sinuses is crucial for recovery, and how mycotoxins cross the blood-brain barrier
• Essential nutrients and enzymes needed to safely support receptor function and help dislodge spike proteins without causing cardiovascular complications

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(00:00) Mold and Immune System Influence

(07:33) Autonomic System Effects

(29:39) Environmental Toxins and Mold Management

(38:55) Fungus in the Nose Study Impact

About Jill Crista, ND

Dr. Jill Crista is a pioneering naturopathic doctor, best-selling author, devoted educator, and creative innovator. Her superpower is to make complex medical concepts digestible and straightforward for the average person. She focuses on conditions that cause injury to the brain and nervous system, including mold, PANS/PANDAS, Lyme disease, concussion, and post-COVID syndromes.

Learn more, visit: https://drcrista.com.

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

For millions of years, humans lived in sync with the sun. But in just the last 150 years, we've fundamentally disrupted this ancient rhythm. Today, only 10% of Americans maintain what researchers call "good circadian health," as we've disrupted natural cycles from food to light to when we sleep. This disconnection has profound consequences. For people with chronic illness, this circadian disruption often becomes both a symptom and a perpetuating factor in their struggle to heal.

In this episode, Dr. Eric Gordon sits down with Dr. Eleanor Stein to discuss the transformative power of circadian biology. They explore strategies for reconnecting with natural light cycles, the critical importance of meal timing (which research suggests may be more important than what you eat), and techniques for gradually shifting sleep and eating windows.

Episode Highlights:

• How circadian biology influences every major system in the body, from metabolism to immune repair, and why it’s central to chronic illness recovery.
• Why the type, intensity, and timing of light exposure can reprogram physiology in ways indoor lighting cannot.
• The emerging science shows that when you eat may be more important than what you eat.
• How every organ has its own internal clock, and what happens when those clocks fall out of sync.
• The role of environment and genetics in shaping “night owl” and “early bird” tendencies.

About Eleanor Stein, MD, FRCP(C)

Dr. Stein is a medical doctor and psychiatrist. The course of her career and life took a sudden turn when she developed ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and environmental sensitivities in 1989 during her psychiatry residency. Her expertise includes self-management, neuroplasticity, hormesis, mindset, and quantum biology.
Free Masterclass on how to use your body's internal clock to improve health https://www.eleanorsteinmd.ca/gordon-medical-circadian

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(00:01) - The Transformative Power of Circadian Biology

(17:09) - Optimizing Food Timing for Health

(23:43) - Harness

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Microplastics is a term that has only recently become highlighted in mainstream health and wellness media, and emerging research suggests it may be one of the biggest threats to human health we're currently facing.

New studies have found microplastic levels in human brain tissue increased by 50% between 2016 and 2024, with concentrations significantly higher than in other organs. There isn't a place in the human body where these particles haven't been found, with connections to increased heart disease risk and immune system changes.

In this episode, Dr. Nafysa Parpia discusses the latest microplastics research with environmental medicine expert Dr. Lyn Patrick. They review current studies on health impacts, examine the primary exposure sources in daily life, and discuss practical reduction strategies, including alternative containers, water filtration, and dietary changes. Dr. Patrick also covers emerging research on potential treatments like plasmapheresis and explains why simple avoidance measures may be the most effective approach for reducing ongoing exposure.

Episode Highlights:

• Microplastics act as "Trojan horses" carrying 1,100 toxic chemicals
• Brain microplastic levels have increased 50% in just eight years
• People with arterial microplastics are 4.5x more likely to die
• The biggest microplastic offenders and unexpected places where microplastics are found in our everyday lives
• Plasmapheresis shows promise for removing plastic from blood
• Simple strategies to reduce daily exposure

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(02:30) Impact of Microplastics on the Environment

(18:51) Microplastic Contamination in Beverage Containers

(30:10) Reducing Plastic Body Burden

(35:14) Importance of Indoor Air Quality

(41:11) Lead, Cadmium, and Plastic

About Lyn Patrick, ND

Dr. Lyn Patrick is the Medical Director of EMEI Global, an online post-graduate program for healthcare providers in environmental medicine. She also holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine and has been in private practice for the past 30 years. She is a published author of numerous articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. She speaks internationally on the integrative medical treatment of chronic hepatitis C, environmental medicine, liver disease, and endocrine disruption.

Learn more about EMEI Global: https://emeiglobal.com/

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is now understood to be the underlying cause of up to 80% of IBS cases and many other digestive disorders. Beyond gut symptoms like bloating and gas, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can contribute to health challenges, including cognitive dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular problems, affecting patients who may not realize their symptoms are connected to gut health.

In this episode, Dr. Jill Carnahan explains the three main types of SIBO, testing methods, and treatment options. She discusses the role of fungal overgrowth, mast cell activation, and tick-borne infections in gut health, sharing practical information about why addressing the gut is often essential for resolving chronic illness.

Episode Highlights:

• Symptoms of specific types of bacterial overgrowth
• How a "negative" SIBO test might actually indicate the most challenging type to treat and what to look for instead
• The surprising connection between gut bacteria and seemingly unrelated conditions like rosacea, restless legs, and brain fog
• Tick-borne triggers and how they manifest in the gut
• Why treating SIBO with antibiotics alone often fails, and the fungal piece most doctors miss
• Simple physical signs (like fingernail ridges) that can reveal gut problems before expensive testing
• How anti-vinculin antibodies after food poisoning can paralyze the migrating motor complex, leading to chronic post-infectious IBS
• Why is combining rifaximin with bismuth is becoming the preferred protocol for hydrogen sulfide SIBO cases that don't respond to standard treatment

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(00:01) - Understanding Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

(11:26) - Comprehensive Overview of Gut Health

(18:13) - Cutting-Edge Gut Health Protocols

(27:20) - Toxicity Impact on Mast Cell Activation

(34:41) - SIBO Symptoms and Treatment Strategies

About Jill Carnahan, MD

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses often go undiagnosed because standard commercial laboratory tests provide a false negative approximately 50% of the time. The problem stems from outdated conventional testing methods that look at one single strain of bacteria, B31, found in a tick from an island off New York's coast in the 1980s. The reality is that this does not accurately represent the diversity, as there are now over 20 different species that can cause Lyme disease and tick-borne illness.

Dr. Nafysa Parpia sits down with Dr. Joseph Burrascano, widely recognized as the father of Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment to unpack the critical differences between conventional and specialty laboratory testing, explore why patients often don't show positive results on standard tests, and discuss the FDA clearance of advanced immunoblot technology that's revolutionizing how we diagnose these conditions.

Episode Highlights:

• Find out why your doctor's Lyme test might miss your infection because standard labs only look for one strain, B31, isolated in the 1980s, when there are 20+ species currently affecting patients.
• Learn the signs that distinguish different tick-borne diseases - each infection has its own specific pattern of symptoms that help with diagnosis.
• Understand why Lyme rarely travels alone - most people actually have multiple tick-borne infections at once, which explains why symptoms can be so confusing.
• Specialty labs that are game-changers with FDA-cleared tests detecting all species with 97% vs 50% accuracy.
• Review of the Long COVID connection, where 50-70% of Long COVID patients also have tick-borne infections.

Listen in to learn more :

(00:01) Specialty Lab Testing for Tick-Borne Illnesses
(07:21) Specialized Testing for Tick-Borne Diseases
(16:02) Lyme Disease and Functional Medicine
(20:30) Advanced Lab Testing for Tick Infections
(31:32) Advancements in Lyme Disease Testing
(38:19) Intersection of Long COVID and Lyme
(43:03) Specialized Testing for Chronic Infections

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About Joseph Burrascano, MD

Pioneer in the clinical assessment, testing, and treatment of the major tick-borne diseases; began seeing Lyme patients in the early-mid 1980s. Author of lay and professional articles, textbook chapters, plus authored the first comprehensive diagnosis and treatment guidelines. Founding member of ILADS and ILADEF. No longer in practice- works in the biotech arena for a private company but spends much time educating physicians and allied health providers.

Lear

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Interested in Becoming A Patient?

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Dr. Pejman Katiraei was following standard protocol—treating patients with combinations of binders, such as cholestyramine, charcoal, and clay, to remove mycotoxins from mold exposure. But after years of practice, he noticed a troubling pattern: only a handful of patients were getting significantly better, while many remained stuck with persistent symptoms.

Even more puzzling, despite aggressive binder use, urine mycotoxin levels often stayed unchanged or even increased. This clinical reality forced him to step back and question whether the widely accepted model of chronic mycotoxin recirculation was actually correct, prompting him to explore an entirely different treatment approach.

In this episode, pediatric physician Dr. Pejman Katiraei and Dr. Eric Gordon discuss why antifungals may be more effective than binders for treating mold-related illness. Dr. Katiraei shares his clinical journey from relying heavily on binding protocols to focusing on gut inflammation and fungal overgrowth as the real drivers of persistent symptoms.

Together, they explore how bacterial endotoxins from an inflamed gut may be causing more damage than circulating mycotoxins, why the microbiome plays a critical role in detoxification, and how antifungal medications can break the cycle of chronic inflammation that keeps patients sick long after leaving moldy environments.

Episode Highlights:

• Dr. K's journey from binders to antifungals after seeing patients remain stuck despite aggressive binding protocols
• Mycotoxins degrade in hours to days - the real problem is ongoing gut inflammation, not long-term toxin recirculation.
• Fungal overgrowth perpetuates leaky gut and bacterial endotoxin release
• Bacterial endotoxins may be more neurotoxic than mycotoxins themselves
• Antifungals like itraconazole have powerful anti-inflammatory effects beyond killing fungus
• Peptides that help stabilize gut integrity and improve antifungal tolerance
• Some patients can heal even with ongoing low-level mold exposure through gut strengthening

Listen in to learn more :

(00:01) - Chronic Illness and Gut Inflammation

(15:21) - The Dangers of Bacterial Endotoxins

(19:16) - Understanding Inflammation and Healing Options

(24:42) - Antifungals and Gut Healing

(40:04) - Healing the Gut

(47:35) - Learning and Sharing for Healing

About Dr. Pejman Katiraei

Dr. Pejman Katiraei (Dr. K) is a board-certified pediatrician who completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA and then obtained his osteopathic medical degree at Western University. He completed a pediatric residency at Loma Linda University, where he remained as teaching faculty for over four years. He has also completed two fellowships in integrative medicine and has over a decade of clinical experience helping children with severe learning and behavioral challenges. Dr. K is now in private practice in Santa Monica, where he focuses on helping children with mold-related illness, autism, and other mental health challenges.

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.

Millions of people are struggling with persistent brain fog, fatigue, and cognitive issues following COVID, not realizing these symptoms share striking similarities with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Both conditions represent what researchers call "network insufficiencies" in the brain, where chronic inflammation, toxins, and nutrient deficiencies create an imbalance that conventional medicine often fails to address effectively.

In this conversation, renowned Alzheimer's researcher Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of "The End of Alzheimer's," joins Dr. Eric Gordon to explore the connections between long COVID and brain health. They'll discuss practical strategies for resolving chronic inflammation, optimizing nutrients, and addressing the root causes that can help restore cognitive function and prevent future decline.

Episode Highlights:

• Anyone who has had COVID is at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
• Three types of toxins damage the brain: air pollution, organic solvents like glyphosate, and biotoxins from mold.
• Actionable steps you can take to protect your cognitive function
• Extra virgin olive oil outperformed expensive anti-amyloid drugs in Alzheimer's studies
• Hidden infections from the gums, gut, and sinuses can migrate to the brain and trigger harmful amyloid production
• COVID creates microthrombi (small blood clots) throughout the body that nattokinase or pycnogenol can help dissolve
• Poor ventilation and high CO2 levels in tight houses impair brain function, especially with gas stoves and many plants

Listen in to learn more :

00:01) - COVID and Alzheimer's Connection Explained

(08:51) - Addressing Cognitive Decline Risks and Causes

(17:23) - Optimizing Treatment for Chronic Illness

(25:59) - Optimizing Cognitive Function and Treatment

(38:05) - Treating Chronic Illness and Toxin Exposure

(43:42) - Preventing Neurodegenerative Disease and COVID

(53:19) - Empowering Self-Care for Cognitive Health

About Dale Bredesen, MD

Dr. Bredesen graduated from Caltech and received his MD from Duke. He served as Resident and Chief Resident in Neurology at UCSF and was then a postdoctoral fellow with Nobel laureate Prof. Stanley Prusiner. He was the Founding President of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.

The Bredesen Laboratory studied basic mechanisms underlying the neurodegenerative process and the translation into effective therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease, leading to the publication of over 230 research papers. He established the Alzheimer’s Drug Development Network with Dr. Varghese John, leading to the identification of new classes of therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease. His work led to the discovery of subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease, followed by the first description of reversal of symptoms in patients with MCI and Alzheimer’s disease, with a precision medicine protocol, and a recent successful proof-of-co

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** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.