13 signs of Lyme Disease
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Symptoms|Lyme Disease Diagnosis
"Lyme disease is an underreported, under-researched, and often debilitating disease transmitted by spirochete bacteria. The spiral-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, are transmitted by blacklegged deer ticks. Lyme’s wide range of symptoms mimic those of many other ailments, making it difficult to diagnose…" Healthline.com
13 Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease:
• Rashes
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Flu-like symptoms
• Sleep disturbances
• Cognitive decline
• Vision changes
• Other neurological problems
• Skin outbreaks
• Heart problems
• Mood changes
• Pain
• Symptoms in children
• If you suspect Lyme
• The bottom line
Read the full article
Posted by Evan (LDRD Webmaster)
13 Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease:
• Rashes
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Flu-like symptoms
• Sleep disturbances
• Cognitive decline
• Vision changes
• Other neurological problems
• Skin outbreaks
• Heart problems
• Mood changes
• Pain
• Symptoms in children
• If you suspect Lyme
• The bottom line
Read the full article
Posted by Evan (LDRD Webmaster)
History of the Lyme Vaccine
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Prevention
With the recent news of a possible new Lyme Disease vaccine, we decided to give some context to the story and provide a variety of sources for those that are interested.
Here are some different perspectives on the elusive Lyme Vaccine and the hope of a new vaccine that is promising to be effective in preventing Lyme.
In the past
The history of the Lyme Vaccine
CDC - Lyme Disease Vaccine
NIAIDH - Overview of Lyme Vaccines
In Recent News
Lyme Disease Vaccine has been fast tracked
Lyme disease vaccine Phase 2 study slated for second half of 2018
Valneva R&D - Developer of the new Vaccine
*Posted by Ev, LDRD Webmaster
Lyme Disease and your pet
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Dogs
It is vitally important that we check our pets for ticks on a trip by trip bases. Every time you venture outside you should check your pet before you come back inside.
We all give our pets medicine to deal kill ticks on contact, this is necessary for their well being and our peace of mind. Even so, your pet can bring ticks in from outside without you knowing about it and they pose a danger to you and your family. This year alone our dogs have brought in ticks at least a dozen times and it is only May!
In an article from South Coast Today:
"Dr. Rachel Ashley, a member of the staff at Capeway Veterinary Hospital of Fairhaven, emphasizes that while the deer tick is very prevalent throughout New England, there are several other tick species that are found in the area. Deer ticks carry Lyme disease, which can be transmitted not only to dogs but also to humans."
“Every year there are more and more cases of tick-related diseases,” she said.
Ashley adds that the abundance of wildlife places the region at high risk. She urges owners to check their dog’s fur even in sub-zero weather, adding that ticks like to grab onto a canine’s fur in a process called “questing.”
“Questing is a behavior exhibited by hard ticks as a way of increasing the chances of coming in to contact with a suitable mammal host,” Ashley said. “The behavior involves the tick ‘climbing up a blade of grass or other structure and then waiting with its front legs outstretched.’”
Read the full article here
Be sure to check your pet in these areas:
We use the flashlight built into our cell phone to make it easy to see in the hard to see spots!
We all give our pets medicine to deal kill ticks on contact, this is necessary for their well being and our peace of mind. Even so, your pet can bring ticks in from outside without you knowing about it and they pose a danger to you and your family. This year alone our dogs have brought in ticks at least a dozen times and it is only May!
In an article from South Coast Today:
"Dr. Rachel Ashley, a member of the staff at Capeway Veterinary Hospital of Fairhaven, emphasizes that while the deer tick is very prevalent throughout New England, there are several other tick species that are found in the area. Deer ticks carry Lyme disease, which can be transmitted not only to dogs but also to humans."
“Every year there are more and more cases of tick-related diseases,” she said.
Ashley adds that the abundance of wildlife places the region at high risk. She urges owners to check their dog’s fur even in sub-zero weather, adding that ticks like to grab onto a canine’s fur in a process called “questing.”
“Questing is a behavior exhibited by hard ticks as a way of increasing the chances of coming in to contact with a suitable mammal host,” Ashley said. “The behavior involves the tick ‘climbing up a blade of grass or other structure and then waiting with its front legs outstretched.’”
Read the full article here
Be sure to check your pet in these areas:
- Behind the ears
- Sides of the eyes & eye lids
- Between the toes
- On the tail
We use the flashlight built into our cell phone to make it easy to see in the hard to see spots!
Natural Tick Repellents
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Tick
Many people are not comfortable using chemical repellents on their skin, pets or even in their yard.
New studies on the effectiveness of essential oils and naturally derived insect repellents have emerged in recent years that do show promising results.
But what are reputable sources for deciding what repellents to use?
The Official Word?
What does the CDC say about natural tick repellents using essential oils? Click here to read the CDC page - https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/natural-repellents.html
And the doctors?
Here is an article on MD Junction about Citronella and Oregano Oil - https://www.mdjunction.com/forums/lyme-disease-support-forums/tips/10741380-essential-oils-to-kill-ticks
Traditional wisdom?
And the good old trusty Farmer's Almanac. What are considered to be the traditional remedies for repelling ticks? Take a gander - https://www.farmersalmanac.com/7-natural-tick-remedies-work-27452
This year has been a bad year for ticks around these parts here in the Blueridge Mountains of North Carolina and we have been inspired to update our knowledge on the healthy alternatives, we think you should too!
Article by Ev (LDRD Webmaster)
New studies on the effectiveness of essential oils and naturally derived insect repellents have emerged in recent years that do show promising results.
But what are reputable sources for deciding what repellents to use?
The Official Word?
What does the CDC say about natural tick repellents using essential oils? Click here to read the CDC page - https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/natural-repellents.html
And the doctors?
Here is an article on MD Junction about Citronella and Oregano Oil - https://www.mdjunction.com/forums/lyme-disease-support-forums/tips/10741380-essential-oils-to-kill-ticks
Traditional wisdom?
And the good old trusty Farmer's Almanac. What are considered to be the traditional remedies for repelling ticks? Take a gander - https://www.farmersalmanac.com/7-natural-tick-remedies-work-27452
This year has been a bad year for ticks around these parts here in the Blueridge Mountains of North Carolina and we have been inspired to update our knowledge on the healthy alternatives, we think you should too!
Article by Ev (LDRD Webmaster)
Chronic Lyme Disease
// Filed in: Chronic Lyme Disease
Here is a collection of articles on Chronic Lyme.
According to the CDC, what many call "chronic Lyme disease," is properly known as "Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome" (PTLDS). Doctors can follow protocol and treat patients who have been diagnosed with early-stage Lyme.
Read the collection on Chronic Lyme here
According to the CDC, what many call "chronic Lyme disease," is properly known as "Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome" (PTLDS). Doctors can follow protocol and treat patients who have been diagnosed with early-stage Lyme.
Read the collection on Chronic Lyme here
Do you have to be concerned about ticks in winter?
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Tick
Yes. Chances of getting Lyme disease can actually increase in winter, because people believe ticks are inactive. However, ticks have super powers and can even survive periods of being frozen underground.
There is undeniable healing power in nature. Getting outdoors restores the mind-body balance, increases a sense of well-being as well as the likelihood you’ll sleep well at night. A brisk hike in the fresh air is the antidote to being cooped up indoors.
Even better, mosquitoes and flies won’t bug you like they do in warmer months.
Ticks, though, are a different animal.
They do survive throughout the winter, according to Dr. Thomas Mather of the University of Rhode Island.
Ticks produce a sort of antifreeze to protect themselves from frigid temperatures. They are “back out and biting,” as soon as the weather warms and the ground thaws, observes Dr. Mather.
This doesn’t mean you should stay inside. Get the benefits of being in nature, just take precautions.
Checklist for outdoor activity:
- Wear long socks, appropriate footwear, and tuck your socks into your pant legs.
- Wear light-colored clothing including socks and shoes, to make tick checks much easier.
- Avoid brushing up against grasses, stay clear of woodsy areas, and hike in the middle of the path.
- Perform a routine tick check when you get indoors. Have another person check your hair and scalp.
- Check your pets. Dogs and cats and any critters who share your bed and your living space should also routinely be inspected.
- Wear DEET, but be forewarned, even it does not guarantee protection from tick bites.
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A good diet for Lyme Disease
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Diet
A good Lyme-literate doctor will suggest you supplement your treatment with a good diet. This is especially true for those of us with chronic Lyme symptoms. But when it comes to food, a lot of us do not like to change things up – creatures of habit, unite! However, change may be easier if you understand why it's necessary.
Read the full article
Read the full article
What one food vegetarians should avoid when battling Lyme
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Diet
You may be a vegan or vegetarian who eats soy products to increase your protein.
Nurse Jean Reist has treated Lyme patients in her Pennsylvania clinic. She explains the importance of protein in the diet.
Think of it as your weekly tasks of stocking your fridge with healthy foods and taking out the garbage. That’s similar to what occurs inside the lymph nodes on a regularly basis.
Critical trace minerals are transported by protein through the lymph system. If the patient’s diet lacks protein, the lymph system cannot properly do its job of delivering nutrients to the cells and taking out the toxins.
So she suggests vegetarians help out by adding a small amount of animal protein to their diet while battling the Lyme bacteria.
Eggs, whey, fish okay — but not soy.
Reist cautions against soy products because soy is high in copper. Lyme patients must also try to rid our bodies of an overload of metals, among them lead, aluminum, mercury, and copper.
Learn about Lyme Disease and protein.
Nurse Jean Reist has treated Lyme patients in her Pennsylvania clinic. She explains the importance of protein in the diet.
Think of it as your weekly tasks of stocking your fridge with healthy foods and taking out the garbage. That’s similar to what occurs inside the lymph nodes on a regularly basis.
Critical trace minerals are transported by protein through the lymph system. If the patient’s diet lacks protein, the lymph system cannot properly do its job of delivering nutrients to the cells and taking out the toxins.
So she suggests vegetarians help out by adding a small amount of animal protein to their diet while battling the Lyme bacteria.
Eggs, whey, fish okay — but not soy.
Reist cautions against soy products because soy is high in copper. Lyme patients must also try to rid our bodies of an overload of metals, among them lead, aluminum, mercury, and copper.
Learn about Lyme Disease and protein.
Diet and inflammation
// Filed in: Lyme Disease Diet
The body’s response to injury is often inflammation. This is beneficial in case of a cut or scratch.
But when the body’s immune system is chronically switched-on due to a Lyme bacterial infection, the resulting inflammation can wreck havoc.
What you can do to fight inflammation
Stress and medication contribute to inflammation, but so does a diet of refined carbohydrates and sugary foods, as well as dairy, red meat, and cereals.
Be proactive in your own healing
Eat a mediterranean-style diet free of foods that are known inflammation triggers. Inflammation may not sound serious -- but according to medical experts it is no joke, which is why it is called the silent killer.
Healing from chronic Lyme is not easy for many of us. Why gamble with your health by consuming foods that may cause your body even more harm?
Increase your healing odds by eating anti-inflammatory foods such as oily fishes (salmon, sardines, and mackerel), walnuts, green leafy vegetables, and many spices and herbs.
Bright yellow turmeric with black pepper reduces inflammation hiding in the body, and contains anti-aging properties. It is included in the treatment of many debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimers and arthritis, as well as Lyme.
Look around in the produce section. Let your senses guide you. Choose organic, healthy, brightly colored fruits and vegetables which are high in anti-oxidants. Our diets should include about two and half cups of vegetables and fruits every day.
Exercise — not just on the days you feel like it.
The mind is not always our friend. Sometimes it is a bully, interfering with the needs of the body by arguing that it’s too tired or too sick to move around even just a little.
I speak from experience!
Don’t let your mind work against your body’s best interests. Make an effort to override it. Form new habits. This takes courage, so don’t be surprised if you think this is a difficult task. It is. But aren’t things that are worthwhile usually kinda hard?
Here’s a motivating factoid to encourage you to exercise even just a little:
Exercise oxygenates the blood and kills spirochetes, which cannot survive in a high-oxygen environment. Be a spirochete slayer. Your mind will even be impressed.
No one in this world is more invested in your healing than yourself. Not your mom, your doctor, your spouse or even your dog. Only YOU can change your habits if needed.
A tasty, organic mainly-veggie diet and regular exercise are part of my healthy healing journey. I exercise every day now, but it took years to formulate working-out as a habit. I realize this means my mind is particularly stubborn. At least now its habit is a healthy one that it won’t let me give up!
Manuka honey and shea butter
Honey is healing, and for centuries societies around the globe have applied it to cure infection caused by wounds and other skin injuries.
Skin problems associated with Lyme disease can include severe rashes and intense itching. Honey can be used topically to help reduce inflammation and soothe itchiness.
Manuka honey is a special, potent healing balm. Bees collect it from the Tea Tree bush, widely praised for its cleansing and germ-killing abilities.
Manuka honey’s healing properties are so dependable and effective that it is used by medical personnel in Emergency Rooms for patients with critical burns and gunshot wounds.
It is sticky, like all honeys. So it should be covered once applied, but mixed with shea butter Manuka can soothe and heal irritated skin.
For help with a case of seasonally recurring eczema, I discovered that spreading on a blend of Manuka honey and shea butter before bedtime helps reduce inflammation and soften rough skin.
If you try it yourself, remember to cover with a non-stick bandage so it stays on your skin instead of ending up on the sheets!
A remedy for inflammation — and a yummy late-night drink
In my house, Manuka is also our favorite go-to for soothing scratchy throats due to colds or allergies. On a chilly night I love curling up with our two little doggies, and a good book, and sipping on a hot steamy mug of Lemon-Manuka.
Into a cup of hot water, stir in one teaspoon honey and a squeeze of lemon. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for a cup of cozy warmth.
Avoid eating sugar if you have active Lyme symptoms. You do not need to add to your body’s troubles by consuming this non-food food.
The point is to reduce inflammation, and sugar can cause insulin levels to rise, which results in plummeting blood glucose and encourages silent or low-grade inflammation. Stevia is a good sugar substitute and doesn’t react in the body like sugar.
Okay, so your turn! What is your favorite anti-inflammatory remedy?