Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): A molecule that carries energy within cells. It is the primary energy currency of the cell, used to power various cellular processes. ATP is primarily produced by the mitochondria, which are therefore referred to as the ‘powerhouses of the cell’.

Antibodies: Proteins produced by the immune system to identify and neutralize harmful substances like bacteria, viruses, and toxins. They recognize specific targets called antigens and help protect the body from infections.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH): A hormone that helps your kidneys manage the amount of water in your body by reducing the amount of urine produced. Reduced levels are associated with thirst and frequent urination.

Antigen: A molecule, allergen, or particulate matter that the immune system recognizes as foreign, such as a virus, bacteria, or toxin. When detected, it triggers the production of antibodies to fight off the invader, along with activation of other components and pathways of the immune system.

Arterial hypertension: A condition commonly known as high blood pressure, where the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high, which can lead to health problems like heart disease.

Binders: Highly positively charged resins that bind to negatively charged compounds such as bile acids circulating in the body through a process called ion exchange, isolating them and preventing their reabsorption into the bloodstream (thus, known as bile acid sequestrants). When bound to bile acids and other negatively charged organic compounds such as mold toxins and spores, the resulting complex is rendered insoluble and therefore cannot be reabsorbed by the body as is normally the case, instead being excreted in the feces

Biofilm: A slimy layer of bacteria as an assembly microbial cells coated by a polymeric matrix composed of sugars, proteins, and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) acting as a living protective barrier against biocidal agents, including antibiotics, which can form in the nasal cavity, preserving harmful bacterial species such as Staphylococcus aureus that reduce levels of key hormones such as MSH and VIP.

Biotoxin: A toxic substance produced by a living organism, such as bacteria, fungi, or plants, that can cause disease in other organisms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that doesn't improve with rest and may worsen with physical or mental activity.

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS): A multi-symptom, multi-system illness characterized by a persistent and heightened inflammatory response, often triggered by biotoxins like mold, leading to a range of long lasting symptoms. CIRS is postulated to be due to a dysregulation of the innate immune system as a result of a failure to recognize specific antigens associated with certain mold species, their associated mycotoxins and fragments, as well as certain bacteria such as actinobacteria, and environmental toxin such as endotoxins.

Circadian rhythm: The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Cortical Atrophy: The thinning or loss of the outer layer of the brain, which can affect memory and other cognitive functions.

Cortisol: A hormone often released in response to stress and low blood sugar levels, playing a key role in the body's fight-or-flight response.

Cytokines: Small proteins that are important in cell signaling and which help regulate the immune system and the body's response to disease and infection.

Dysbiosis: An imbalance in the microbial communities in your body, particularly in the gut, which can lead to health problems.

Epithelial gut wall: The lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which acts as a barrier to protect the internal environment of the body from harmful substances while allowing nutrients to be absorbed.

Fibromyalgia: A chronic condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

Ghrelin: A hormone that stimulates appetite, often referred to as the "hunger hormone."

Gliadin: A protein found in wheat and other grains that can trigger an immune response in people with celiac disease, leading to inflammation and damage to the gut lining, characterized by the production of anti-gliadin antibodies (AGAs), and producing food sensitivities such as gluten intolerance.

Homeostasis: The state of steady internal conditions maintained by living organisms, ensuring that vital processes like temperature and pH levels are kept within certain limits.

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA): Proteins found on the surface of most cells in your body that help the immune system distinguish between your own cells and foreign invaders.

Hypometabolism: A reduced rate of metabolism, which can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and feeling cold.

Hypoperfusion: A condition where there is inadequate blood flow to an organ or tissue, leading to reduced oxygen and nutrient supply.

Hypothalamus: A region of the brain that controls several important functions, including the release of hormones, regulation of body temperature, and maintaining daily physiological cycles.

Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis: A complex set of interactions between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands that control reactions to stress and regulate many body processes, including digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, and energy storage.

Hypoxia: A condition where there is a deficiency of oxygen in the tissues of the body.

IBD (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis): A group of chronic inflammatory conditions of the intestines, primarily including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). These conditions cause symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue due to inflammation and damage to the digestive tract.

Ischemic hypoperfusion: Reduced blood flow (and thus oxygen) to an organ or tissue due to a blockage or narrowing of the blood vessels.

Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS): A condition where the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, causing undigested food particles and toxins to "leak" through into the bloodstream, potentially triggering an immune response.

Leptin: A hormone produced by fat cells that helps regulate body weight by inhibiting hunger.

Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (MSH): A hormone that affects pigmentation of the skin, and also has roles in regulating appetite and sexual behavior.

Melatonin: A hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, often produced in response to darkness.

Mold canary: A term used to describe a person who is particularly sensitive to mold exposure and often experiences severe symptoms even at low levels of mold, similar to how canaries were used in coal mines to detect toxic gases.

Molecular Hypometabolism (MHM): Reduced cellular activity at a molecular level, leading to decreased energy production and metabolism. MHM is associated with impairment of normal glycolysis and energy production in the mitochondria, as well as reduced transcription of mitochondrial genes. Another aspect of MHM is the direct inhibition of ribosomes by mycotoxins, which disrupts global translation (the production of proteins from an mRNA transcript following the transcription of a gene). 

Mycotoxins: Toxic substances produced by fungi that can contaminate food and the environment, potentially causing disease.

Neuro-inflammation: Inflammation of the nervous tissue such as neurons and regulatory cells such as glia and astrocytes, whose dysfunction are associated with various neurological and neurodegenerative diseases and disorders.

Neuropeptide: Small protein-like molecules used by neurons to communicate with each other, influencing many brain functions. As an example, GLP-1 expressed in the brain acts as a neuropeptide, modulating mitochondrial function, protein aggregation, and synaptic plasticity, thus providing neuroprotective effects and lowering neuroinflammation while also regulating glucose metabolism, which are inter-related functions.

Neuroprotective: Refers to mechanisms and substances that protect the nervous system from injury and damage.

Nitric oxide: A molecule that helps blood vessels relax and improves blood flow, and also has roles in the immune system.

Osmolality: A measure of how much one substance has dissolved in another substance, often used in medical tests to understand the body's water balance. ADH is a master regulator of osmolality.

Pathogens: Microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi (e.g., mold) that can cause disease.

Peptide: Short chains of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. They play various roles in the body, including acting as hormones and signaling molecules. For example, GLP-1 and GIP are peptides that regulate insulin secretion, metabolism, and neuroprotective processes.

Pulmonary Hypertension: High blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs, which can lead to heart failure if untreated.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, which are a natural byproduct of the normal metabolism of oxygen. High levels, as produced by mitochondrial dysfunction, can cause damage to cells, proteins, and DNA, implicated in aging and various established diseases.

Transcription: The process where the DNA information coded in a gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) for subsequent protein production (translation).

Transcriptomics: The study of the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by the genome, used to understand gene expression patterns.

Vasoconstriction: The narrowing of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure and reduces blood flow to certain parts of the body.