Lyme disease lowers body temperature.

Staying warm in the winter can be more challenging when you're fighting Lyme disease. You may even notice your symptoms increasing after you get a chill. When you wake up to a frosty morning, reach for a steaming hot cup of herbal or green tea to help shake off the fatigue. Add a slice of warming ginger. Lyme bacteria thrive in cool body temperatures, and many people suffering with LD actually have lowered body temps. That's why it's so important to get regular exercise and choose your beverages and foods wisely.

One of the nicest things (okay, sometimes the ONLY nice thing) about snowy weather is the occasional Snow Day. When I lived with roommates, and the snow happened to be piling up on a weekday night, we'd get up early and begin our Snow Day vigil at the kitchen table, where we could keep an eye out the front window. We'd make a big pot of coffee and tune into the local radio station to listen for the list of school closures, since we were all teachers at three different schools. I always wondered why I'd start to get chilled after my second cup.

One of the problems with coffee is that it cools your body, instead of heating it, like some spices and herbs will. For a real burst of warmth, add just a touch of cayenne. If you need sweetener, try agave nectar or a drop of stevia, not sugar, which is a no-no when you've got Lyme. Staying warm and healing is your goal through the chilly winter months.

Tags: lyme disease lowers temp, coffee, sugar