According to “Private MD News” , a team of researchers recently reported that there may be a simpler way to treat early Lyme disease rather than six weeks of Doxycycline.

Researchers from Ludwig Maximilian University in Germany found that the application of a local antibacterial gel to the site of a bug bite that transmitted the infection may quickly kill the entire virus responsible for the disease. Of course it is important to recognize that some forms of Lyme disease create a rash but do not invade the blood stream to attack any other part of the body.  This makes it difficult for doctors to know just what kind of Lyme they are treating.

This new therapeutic approach would be easier for patients to complete, but oral antibiotics would still be necessary due to the possibility of a virulent form that enters the blood stream immediately and can enter the central nervous system within 24 hours of infection.

The therapy still needs to be tested in humans, as the currently trial involved testing on animals. However, the researchers said they believe that if it turns out to be as effective in people as it has proven to be animals it could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of Lyme disease.

The treatment is currently being tested in humans as part of a phase III clinical trial, which means that if it is proven effective, it could be approved relatively soon.

Colloidal silver is a powerful, natural antiviral, anti-fungal and antibiotic.

Acting as a catalyst, it disables the enzyme that one-celled bacteria, viruses and fungi need for their oxygen metabolism. The silver suffocates the germs without any harm to body chemistry.

Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, colloidal silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different from the enzymes of primitive single-celled life. Thus colloidal silver is absolutely safe for humans, reptiles, plants and all multi-celled living matter.

Reports continue to grow of total recovery from chronic Lyme disease by taking four ounces of 10ppm colloidal silver three times per day until all symptoms are gone and then for at least three months thereafter. 

Dosage for Silvercillin is one teaspoon three to four times per day until all symptoms are gone and for 3 months after recovery.  Works best with very hot baths every night before bed.

SilvercillinTM is a superior silver and completely distinct from traditional colloidal (ionic) silvers of the past, with many important chemical, physical and vibrational differences separating it far beyond other forms available.

It is a highly effective antimicrobial and antibacterial composed of pure silver (complexed with purified water.) Silvercillin utilizes a technological breakthrough allowing for the production of a silver particle small enough to enter a single red blood cell, enabling the silver to travel through capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels in the body, and inactivate viruses at the cellular level.

Also, SilvercillinTM uses technology that permanently distributes the mineral into the structure of the water, so it will not fall out of solution or suspension.

As a result, the pure silver in SilvercillinTM has been shown to provide a whole host of health benefits, from killing drug- resistant bacterial strains to inhibiting viral replication as well as stimulating stem cell production. It can be safely used both orally and topically with no known side effects.

In fact, while no other liquid silver anti-microbial product had received a patent for over 80 years, a US patent was issued in 2006 for this silver composition.

In general, colloidal silver works by chemical action, requiring direct contact with microbes, where each colloidal silver molecule can only kill one bacteria . Also, colloidal silver is simply a suspension of a silver molecule and an oxygen molecule combined together. Particles in a suspension, while too small to be seen, are large enough to settle to the bottom over time.

Here, the silver components can fall out of solution, causing them to aggregate in such areas as the blood, fat, and the brain. Not surprisingly, silver suspensions contain up to 300,000 ppm of silver compared to Silvercillin which is effective at a much lower dosage of only 5–30 ppm.

Argyria (blue man syndrome, where silver aggregates in the body) has only been seen in cases of colloidal silver use after extended high dosing.

Benefits of Silvercillin™ may include:

• Broad-spectrum antimicrobial – capable of killing many pathogens, even those resistant to antibiotics
• Anti-inflammatory (inflammation is often caused by bacteria, virus, or mold)
• Does not encourage resistant microbial strains
• Does not interfere with antibiotics and may actually increase the effectiveness of specific antibiotics
• Spares good bacteria
• Can be used internally and topically – non- irritating to mucous membranes
• Faster healing via stem cell stimulation
• Non-toxic, even if used multiple times per day for weeks
• No known side effects or contraindications; safe for all individuals
• Immune system support

Click here for purchasing information.

I came across this interesting presentation that dates back to September of 2006 written by Wendy Snow Fogg from Misty Meadows Herbal Center: http://www.mistymeadows.org/wendydocs/Lyme%20Disease.pdf.  The document has interesting case studies with positive results.

There are recipes with excellent instructions for Lyme Prevention, Chronic Lyme Treatment and various versions (with raw honey or without) and detailed description of the herbs used in the teas.

There are many versions of Wendy’s teas and different types of tea  suggested for helping with symptoms such as chamomile tea, white tea, green tea and various mint teas. Following is an anti-microbial/immune regulating medicinal herbal tea formula based on Stephen Buhner’s Healing Lyme protocol.

Put into one gallon water:
1) Japanese Knotweed 10g
(increase dose slowly, 10g per week or so, up to 40g)
2) Stephania 20g (increase slowly up to 80g)
3) Sarsaparilla 10g (increase slowly to 40g)
4) Cat’s Claw 15g (increase slowly to 60g)
5) Red Root 10g (can increase slowly to 30g)

optional:
-Artemesia Annua 5g (increase slowly to 40g) use especially if suspicion of Babesia)
-Eleutherococcus Genseng at a starting dose of 10g can be helpful for fatigue,(but it may be troublesome for some with chronic lyme). 

My two favorite sources for bulk herbs and tinctures are 1st Chinese Herbs and Mountain Rose Herbs.

As Amy speaks to groups and continues to write about Lyme and her experience, the biggest question always pops up – is this really a cure? 

Of course trying a homeopathic treatment that is$20 – $50/month seems possible financially, especially if you don’t know how long it will work and even IF it will work. Even a treatments such as Rife which can range from $75 – $5,000, is tempting but beyond most people’s resources. So when you consider spending $40,000, you want to be completely certain it works 100% of the time, because we know that insurance companies are unlikely to help cover costs.

This blog post was originally posted back in 2008, and due to the number of questions I still get about Amy’s health, I thought I would re-publish this and publish Amy’s last update on her physical condition,

Here are some more excerpts from Amy’s blog www.HealthcareHacks.com:

It seems I have to answer this, totally emotionless, once and for all. I may paste it on my forehead and the signature tag line in my e-mail. I get asked it so many times that my answer seems canned.

And despite absolutely loving that I can inspire hope in so many via the phone and e-mail, prospective patients need a place to go and read this for themselves. Over and over if they wish…..
Question: “Are embryonic stem cells a cure for Chronic Lyme Disease?”

Short answer: I believe (disclaimer: Although I am not in any way a medical professional qualified to advise, so please consult your own…) that in conjunction with antibiotics, embryonic stem cells can be a cure for debilitating symptoms associated with Chronic Lyme Disease. I feel that this can happen in two ways. One, by pumping up the immune system to better cope with the infection and other issues and diminishing chances of a relapse (with the help of adequate antibiotic treatment and possibly supplements and alternatives); and two, by helping to repair the body’s degeneration which can be causing many symptoms because of damage to the body systems (such as nerve damage, heart damage, etc.).

Long answer: In my opinion, nothing kills the Lyme bacteria and other co-infections except antibiotics (and anti-parasitic medication, etc.). However, the bacterial load is not the only problem with Lyme Disease. And often after one has gone through rigorous treatment protocols, it may not be any part of the problem. The degeneration of the body due to having an untreated or undiagnosed infectious disease for so long is a huge challenge (arthritis, brain lesions, a damaged nervous system, heart problems and the list goes on).

Western medicine is there to help treat the actual infection (even if it’s near impossible sometimes thanks to this nightmarishly “smart” bacteria). But, what can we do to repair our tormented bodies once doctors have helped us erradicate the bacteria?

As well as all of those lovely issues of degeneration, a severely compromised immune system makes things worse by allowing the body to become a sponge, soaking up every little germ, chemical and whatever else might be floating around an environment. To take it a depressing step further, a patient’s system can’t detoxify properly so they becomes stuck with all of that inside of them. Even the simplest of ways most people detoxify such as urine and sweat, are not reliable.

Many Chronic Lyme patients over time, will become unable to sweat since it is a function of the nervous system, causing a further problem with detox. If the kidneys don’t work right, then toxins may not be excreted through urine. An immune system that doesn’t work though, goes far beyond that, keeping the body in a state of inability to control the Lyme infection, as well as often becoming misdirected, turning on your body instead of the infection (autoimmune diseases).

Yes, we can all agree how important it is to strengthen and support our immune system, but will this new treatment actually finish off any remaining bacteria that antibiotics and other protocols have destroyed?

The title of the following excerpts from: http://healthcarehacks.com/the-embryonic-stem-cell-proof-is-in-my-brain-scan

I am still marveling at the color copies of my SPECT brain scan, although somewhat in disbelief. My passion for photography does not come close to producing pictures like the ones that manifested from last week’s scan, just days before I left India.

In fact, I could not intentionally capture colors so vivid, or an image so real and telling of an illness that has now officially lost its battle, little by little and day by day since my first stem cell injection December 11, 2007. I hold in my hands not only pretty pictures; but proof so substantial that I dare to invite even the most mainstream, by-the-book, anti-embryonic-stem-cells-because-it-just-can’t-be-if-I-didn’t-invent-it-doctor, to contest.

When I got to Delhi in December of last year, my brain scan revealed three lesions in the frontal lobe of my brain (both sides). That was two more than I had after the torturously aggressive treatment in the U.S. to try to stop the progression of Chronic Lyme Disease, and subsequently, the degeneration of almost every body system in my 28-year-old being (including my brain tissue).

The embryonic stem cell treatment has now completely demolished two lesions, and near but eradicated the last one. I study the images of my brain trying to locate the last part of the one remaining lesion. It’s improved beyond recognition, so much so that I’m having a hard time deciphering where its exact location is.

The part that stuns me the most I suppose, is that I left Delhi with two lesions in February of this year. One disappeared during my two-month treatment there. But consistent with the research that embryonic stem cells continue to work for months and years, they were repairing my body long after I left India and stopped receiving daily stem cells shots.

Dr. Geeta Shroff’s embryonic stem cells are the future of treating incurable and terminal illness. Like it or not Western world, here they come. You can try to slow down this remarkable technology, but you can’t stop it. And if you ever met the two doctors behind this, you’d silently laugh at anyone who thought otherwise.

After failing the mini-round of IV antibiotics due to boycotting veins in India, we decided a month of oral antibiotics would suffice. This is just to make sure the infection stays under control, if there is any still left at all. I hate the pills and the pills I have to take to make sure those pills don’t hurt me (my liver, kidneys, etc.). And I despise worrying that my stomach will just one day decide it hates me, enough to fall completely apart.

But, I have this healthy, vibrant, functioning body and the inconvenience of the medication is a small price to pay for big “insurance.” I feel like sometimes I’m holding on so tight that I’ll crush the mere possibility out of a far-fetched theory that this disease could ever do again to me, what it once did.

This might just be the shortest blog post in the world for a girl as wordy as me. But, what can I say? My overcomplicated life has become so simple that it takes less and less words to describe.

And in all fairness, compared to the indisputable proof that embryonic stem cells regenerated an otherwise progressively degenerating 20-something-year-old brain — does anything else really even matter?

Thanks to Amy Scher for generously sharing her amazing and wonderful story.  I hope we will find more and more stories of people who are willing to step out of the box and forge new trails for the diseased families and individuals whose lives are falling apart.

This story gives us all something solid to hold on to when we are herxing and feel like giving up.

NEVER give up!

Now jump forward to http://www.lymediseaseresource.com/wordpress/where-is-amy-scher-did-her-stem-cell-treatment-cure-her-chronic-lyme-disease/!

My name is Patrick Mulcahy and I am an Osteopathic Family Practice physician practicing in Kennebunk, ME.  My practice focuses on treating chronic medical conditions and I’ve been working with Lyme patients for the last several years. 

As an initial topic for the Lyme discussion group I would like to address the frequently asked question by most patients with chronic Lyme Disease, “Can I ever recover from Lyme or will it be something I’ll be living with the rest of my life?”

My answer to that is a resounding yes, it is possible to recover from Lyme and be able to lead a symptom free life. However, to achieve this end result I have found that most of my patients need to adjust their approach to Lyme.

What I mean by that is to not focus your intent on killing the bacteria or parasite but rather on healing your body.

One statement that I can make with 100% certainty is the only way anyone will become and remain symptom free of Lyme or any chronic illness for that matter is to establish a healthy immune system capable of defending the body against the onslought of biological and chemical stressors.

Lyme is a very adaptive organism capable of infiltrating and hiding deep in bodily structures and only with a functioning immune system can it be managed at that deep level.

Now that I’ve made that statement, I feel a comprehensive Lyme treatment is one that addresses both attacking the Borrelia and co-infections as well as supporting the body’s immune system to gain control, and complete the job.

So how does one achieve the end result of a healthy, efficient, well-functioning immune system?

This I feel is the true challenge to both the Lyme physician and more importantly the Lyme patient. The answer to this question is detailed and will be a large focus of my ongoing advice to the Lyme group. Briefly however I feel the single most important factor which prevents people from healing and stresses the body in general is the overwhelming amount of toxic burden one is exposed to resulting in toxic overload.

This toxic overload taxes the defense system, taxes the natural systems of elimination and results in a state of chronic inflammation and eventually a weakened immune system. It also provides growth medium in which Borrelia and other organisms can flourish.

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue-inflammation, daily headache, irritable bowel, muscle aches, joint pain, brain fog, skin rash, insomnia, phantom pain, buzzing ears, vision changes, anxiety, irritability and the multitude of other bizarre symptoms characteristic of Lyme infection.

I feel a comprehensive approach to Lyme is one that focuses both on reducing bacterial overload, including antibiotics, Vitamin C/Sea Salt, Rife machine, etc. as well as healing the body and the immune system, through diet, detoxification, lifestyle, herbal supplements, etc. In the coming weeks I will expand on these subjects in addition to answering questions you may have.

Wishing you the best of health,

Dr. Mulcahy

These statements are not to diagnose or treat any disease. This information does not take the place of an exam by a physician.

Three Harmonies in Ashland, Oregon has opened their practice to include hard to treat and controversial diseases such as chronic Lyme disease, celiac disease,  and Alzheimer’s.  The clinic brings eastern and western medicine together using antibiotics and chinese herbs along with acupuncture, massage and stress reduction training.

Lyme disease is the result of a spirochetal infection (Boerrelia burgdorferi) transmitted to humans by deer ticks (mainly Ixodes scapularis, though a relative, I. pacificus is the carrier in the Western U.S.). The infection sometimes results in a serious disease pattern, most often characterized by progressively worsening arthralgia, though a central nervous system disorder or even a heart disorder may arise (1, 2, 3, 10). The disease is named for the town (Old Lyme, Connecticut) where, in 1975, a number of children presenting  symptoms similar to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis were eventually found to have acquired this Boerrelia infection.

The occurrence of Lyme disease is regional, being dependent on:

1. the distribution of the ticks that carry the bacteria (prevalent in forested areas in temperate climates, such as northern U.S. and northern Europe);

2. the presence of this particular bacteria in the ticks. The bacteria is carried by animals, particularly mice and deer, that are bitten by the tick; in the endemic area, only about 15–30% of ticks are infected; and

3. exposure of the human population to the ticks, which generally requires living in or venturing into areas where the ticks can be directly encountered.

Contact with a tick does not necessarily mean the disease will be experienced. In fact, it is estimated that only 1–3% of tick bites result in Lyme disease. While the region where infection is a somewhat likely possibility is expanding, the primary distribution still remains limited. As of 1995, it was reported that Boerrelia infections in the U.S. occurred mainly in 8 states of the northeastern U.S. and one midwest state (Wisconsin). Retrospective studies indicate that there were probably a few cases of this disease many decades earlier, with cases appearing in Massachusetts and Wisconsin in the 1960’s, and in northern Europe as early as the 1920’s. There is some evidence to suggest cases of this or a very similar disease in Germany— a country that was heavily forested and full of deer—in the 1880’s. The reason for the sudden epidemic of the disease during the past 25 years has been the change in land use and lifestyle that occurred, such as new growth of forests in abandoned farm land and movement of city dwellers into the forested countryside, either for recreation or for a new place to live. For those who are at risk for acquiring the infection, a vaccine against Boerrelia burgdorferi has been approved by the FDA and is now readily available.

There is no reference to Lyme disease in the Chinese literature and there may be none for some time, as most of China’s forests have been eliminated. There are other spirochetal infections that have been addressed by Chinese physicians and by Chinese researchers conducting clinical trials or laboratory tests of infection inhibiting properties. The relevant organism most often studied in China is Leptospira, which causes the disease called leptospirosis. This organism is carried by a wide range of animals, and is not uncommon in animals raised for food. In China, it has long been common practice for each family to keep animals, such as pigs and chickens, in and around their homes, so exposure has been possible for a large portion of the population. The bacterium can enter the body through the skin, usually from contact with animal urine. A small outbreak occurred at Fort Bragg in the U.S. in 1942, and the disease was nicknamed Fort Bragg Fever.

Its cause was traced to swimming in ponds and streams that had been contaminated by livestock urine. Fewer than 200 cases occur in the U.S. each year, mostly in the warm southeastern states.

TRADITIONAL AND MODERN VIEWS OF LEPTOSPIROSIS AND ITS TREATMENT

The Leptospira infection causes fever and chills, headache, and muscle ache (especially in the shoulders). These symptoms match the Shang Han disease described in the ancient text Shang Han Lun. In fact, the  initial course of leptospirosis follows a pattern, over a period of several days, that is somewhat like that described in the ancient text. In the advanced stage, leptospirosis can cause liver disease (with jaundice) or a severe form of meningitis; the symptoms of some cases of advanced Shang Han disease are similar. According to proponents of the general application of the Shang Han Lun as a guide to treatment of disease, the formulas recommended in that text could be used for modern diseases with similar symptom presentation. Accordingly, early stage of spirochetal infection, such as Lyme disease and Fort Bragg fever, might be treated by the same formulas used in the Shang Han Lun (see: A modern view of the Shang Han Lun). Modern understanding of these infectious diseases may help reflect on the development of Chinese concepts of disease causation and treatment. Shang Han disease occurred most frequently in winter, the time of year when animals were brought into the house, thereby increasing opportunity for exposure to pathogens; thus, exposure of people to cold may not have been the reason that some diseases were observed to occur during the cold season.

Similarly, the summer heat syndrome, which often produces digestive system disturbances, may not be the direct result of exposures of humans to the damp, hot climate, but exposure to pathogens that grow in that climate and infect the food and water supplies (see the articles: The six qi and six yin and Pill Curing and Huoxiang Zhengqi Pian).

The book Modern Study and Application of Materia Medica (4) provides information about herbs reputed to inhibit Leptospira based on laboratory testing (herb extract applied to cultured bacteria causing them to die) and, in some cases, clinical evaluation (herbs administered to infected patients resulting in clearance of symptoms). The following list of leptospira-inhibiting herbs was culled from the Chinese medical literature:

Isatis leaf Smilax

Isatis root Gardenia

Andrographis Hu-chang

Coptis Chien-li-kuang

Scute Verbena

Phellodendron Sanguisorba

Forsythia Ching-hao

Most of these herbs treat a condition described as damp-heat; many of the herbs have broad-spectrum antibiotic and antiviral properties. The book Thousand Formulas and Thousand Herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (5), no doubt relying on the same source material, listed the first nine ingredients of the above list as inhibitors of Leptospira; this text also presents five traditional formulas suggested for treating leptospirosis, divided by syndrome:

· Exogenous pathogen invading the qi phase (this corresponds to the initial disease symptoms, which may include a flu-like pattern):Yin Qiao San (Lonicera and Forsythia Formula).

· Summer heat and damp heat misting the three burners (for treatment of skin manifestations of the disease, such as rashes): Sanshi San (Three Stone Powder, made with calamine, gypsum, and red kaolin; this is applied topically).

· Acute jaundice (this is the manifestation of leptospirosis as liver disease): Ermiao San (Red Atractylodes and Phellodendron Powder; this is a general formula for damp-heat).

· Summer heat injuring the lung: Xin Jia Xiangru Yin (Modification of Elsholtzia Combination; the base formula contains elscholtzia, dolichos, and magnolia bark; a common addition is coptis).

· Heat invading the pericardium with liver wind moving internally (this is the manifestation of leptospirosis as meningitis): Zhengan Xifeng Tang plus Angong Niuhuang Wan (Decoction to Subdue Internal Wind plus Pill of Ox Gallstone to Pacify the Palace).

All of the recommended formulas treat a heat syndrome, and include herbs that alleviate damp-heat, though they include few herbs from the list of those that have thus far been shown to inhibit the subject organism in laboratory and clinical tests. The herbal therapies may alleviate symptoms without curing the spirochetal infection, while it is the cure of the disease, defined by freedom from the bacteria, that is the goal of most Western patients and their physicians.

CLINICAL EVALUATIONS

There was considerable clinical research into treatment of leptospirosis in China during the early 1970’s (9).

It was reported that tablets prepared from equal amounts of the extracts of scute, lonicera, and forsythia, administered three times daily in large amounts were useful for treating mild and moderate cases of the disease. Andrographis extract, in the form of an injection or tablets of the crude extract or of the isolated lactones, was reported to effectively treat leptospirosis. In one evaluation, 31 of 35 cases were said to be cured by the andrographis lactones (mainly diterpene lactones, which are also found in the anticancer herb rabdosia).

More recently, Deng Shifa reported on efforts at prevention and treatment of leptospirosis (6, 7). He administered a decoction prepared from fresh, rather than dried, herbs, using ching-hao, houttuynia, eclipta, imperata, mentha, lonicera stem, humulus (lucao), and rhubarb. This formula only includes one herb, chinghao, from the list of individual herbs above. The drink was consumed 4–6 times per day (that is, at intervals of 2–4 hours), and it was reported that recovery from symptoms occurred, on average, in about 11 days. The results obtained with the Chinese herbs were similar to those obtained with penicillin, based on cure rate, which was 97%. The same herb formula, with rhubarb deleted, was said to help prevent leptospirosis.

Another spirochete, Treponema, gives rise to two diseases, syphilis (from T. pallidum) and yaws (from T. pertenue). Since these diseases are easily controlled by modern antibiotic therapy, there is little mention of herbal remedies in the literature. Smilax (tufuling), an herb for damp-heat that is included in the list of  antileptospira herbs, is still prominently mentioned for this application (4, 8). In Western herbal practice, a species of Smilax, known popularly as sarsaparilla, was used for treatment of syphilis. This repeated reference to the herb in clinical use supports the idea that smilax may have a reliable inhibitory effect for spirochetal infections. Treponemes have been isolated from the blood of patients with Lyme disease, suggesting that the ticks may harbor both types of spirochetes.

TCM ANALYSIS OF LYME DISEASE

The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) analysis of a new disease, such as Lyme disease, depends on the disease manifestations and the analysis of other  diseases that have some characteristics in common with it. The salient features are these:

1. the tick introduces the pathogen into the blood stream directly;

2. the infection typically yields a blotchy red rash, often in a “bull’s eye” pattern of red skin coloration and swelling, about 3–20 days after the tick bite;

3. there may be flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, sore throat, nausea, fatigue, swollen glands, stiff neck, aching muscles; and

4. if unresolved there may be recurrences of fever and, usually after several months, arthralgia, usually in the knees, with swelling and hot feeling.

It is estimated that 25–50% of those infected do not get the rash or flu-like symptoms, and that about half of those who experience the rash go on to experience arthralgia. The disease may be interpreted in TCM terms most simply as a heat pathogen entering the blood, which can reside as a “hidden toxin” in some individuals, manifesting disease symptoms later, after some factor activates it.

As an example of traditional prescribing that might be appropriate to Lyme disease, a formula recommended for a heat toxin entering the blood and producing eruption of macules (11) is Lonicera and Gypsum Combination (Liangxue Baidu Tang; Cool Blood and Defeat Toxin Decoction). It contains forsythia, gardenia, scute, and coptis, which are included in the list of anti-leptispirosa herbs, along with gypsum, talc, lonicera, anemarrhena, carthamus, moutan, raw rehmannia, scrophularia, and imperata (the original formula also included horns of antelope and rhino).

TREATMENT OPTIONS IN THE WEST

Medical studies suggest that if the Boerrelia infection can be treated soon after it occurs with antibiotics, there is strong likelihood of it being eliminated quickly and completely. The current medical treatment for Lyme disease is a course of therapy using doxycycline, amoxicillin, penicillin, or erythromycin. These are taken orally except in severe cases in which they may be administered intravenously instead. Many of those who become infected spontaneously recover within days or months even without antibiotics (no doubt, the bacteria eventually succumbs to the immune system). For those who have the infection for months prior to treatment without improvement, antibiotics may need to be administered for several months before the infection finally resolves, and some cases may  entirely escape cure with this therapy due to the characteristics of the bacteria (ability to avoid the immune system by antigenic changes on its surface and    ability to avoid antibiotic inhibition by infiltrating areas of the body, such as the joints, that have lower levels of exposure to the drug).

The absence of direct clinical evaluation of Chinese herbs in relation to Lyme disease means that there is some difficulty recommending that this method be used in lieu of the currently accepted course of antibiotics.

Some individuals may wish to attempt to increase the chances of success with antibiotics or even shorten the duration of treatment with antibiotics by combining a Chinese herbal treatment, and a few individuals may wish to try using Chinese herbs alone, saving the antibiotic therapy as a back-up. One would apply herbs that are reputed to inhibit other spirochetes (since these should have an excellent chance of inhibiting this one), as well as any herbs that might treat the specific symptoms or the patient’s constitution.

The Seven Forests herb formula tablet Isatis 6 provides isatis leaf, hu-chang, and andrographis from the list of herbs given above, and the Seven Forests formula Forsythia 18 provides forsythia, gardenia, scute, phellodendron, and coptis, which are also on that list. Together, these formulas may provide the bacterial inhibition that is sought from Chinese herbs in a convenient form of administration (suggested dosage would be 3–5 tablets of each formula, three times daily). As with treatment of any infection, the intended application is a high dosage for a few days or weeks. Since the formulas fall into the category of clearing heat, persons with symptoms and signs indicating a constitutional cold syndrome would probably do better to have a personalized formula made (e.g., extract  granules), combining the desired anti-bacterial ingredients (which have a cold nature) with herbs for addressing the constitutional imbalance.

The single herb ching-hao may be of interest in treating this disease. This is an herb for damp-heat that is one of the most effective herbal agents for treating malaria, another parasitic disease (though a very different pathogen) introduced directly into the blood stream by an insect (mosquito). It was included in the formula recommended by Deng Shifa for treatment and prevention of leptospirosis. Aside from being listed as an antispirochete based on laboratory evaluation, this herb also helps regulate the immune system in cases of autoimmune disorders. For example, it is found useful in treating the autoimmune attack against connective tissue (mainly skin and joints) in patients with lupus (9). The arthralgia experienced by persons with advanced Lyme disease may involve some autoimmune component (at this time, it is unclear whether persistence of the bacteria is solely responsible for persisting symptoms or if there is an induced  autoimmune process that contributes to the symptoms).

Further, if the symptoms of arthralgia have already developed, then herbs traditionally used for that purpose would also be administered (selection of ingredients would depend on symptom presentation and constitutional factors). Lonicera stem, included in the treatment for leptospirosis described by Deng Shifen, may be of interest, as it is used like lonicera flower as an anti-toxin agent, but is considered a specific treatment for arthralgia.

Based on the analysis that has been presented here, for patients willing to take a decoction or dried decoction, the following is proposed as a base formula that may be modified, if deemed necessary, for individual needs:

Anti-Spirochete Mixture: (equal parts)

• Smilax
• Ching-hao
• Forsythia
• Hu-chang
• Andrographis
• Lonicera stem

When using a decoction, the dosage of individual herbs should be 12–15 grams for a one day dose. Using dried decoctions, a daily dosage of 15–18 grams of the mixture would be appropriate. Three times per day dosing is a usual recommendation for the treatment of infections.

REFERENCES

1. Biddle W, A Field Guide to the Germs, 1995 Henry Holt and Co., Inc., New York.

2. Karlen A, Man and Microbes, 1995 G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York.

3. Lane K (executive editor), Merck Manual of Medical Information, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA.

4. Dong Zhi Lin and Yu Shu Fang, Modern Study and Application of Materia Medica, 1990 China Ocean Press, Beijing.

5. Huang Bingshan and Wang Yuxia, Thousand Formulas and Thousand Herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 1, 1993 Heilongjiang Education Press, Harbin.

6. Deng Shifa, Preliminary study on the prevention and treatment of leptospirosis with traditional Chinese medicine, Lianing Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1985; 9(5): 15–17.

7. Deng Shifa and Sheng Rixin, Treatment of leptospirosis with Qixian Drink, Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1991; 26(7): 293–294.

8. Hong-Yen Hsu, et al., Oriental Materia Medica: A Concise Guide, 1986 Oriental Healing Arts Institute, Long Beach, CA.

9. Hson-Mou Chang and Paul Pui-Hay But (eds.), Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica, (2 vols.), 1986 World Scientific, Singapore.

10. Robbins SL, Cotran RS, and Kumar V, Pathologic Basis of Disease, Third Edition, 1984 W.B.

Saunders Company, Philadelphia, PA.

11. Hsu HY and Wang SY, The Theory of Feverish Diseases and Its Clinical Applications, 1985 Oriental Healing Arts Institute, Long Beach, CA.

June 1999

What is Colostrum?

Colostrum (for our purposes) is the pre-milk fluid produced by bovine mothers for the first few days after giving birth. (It is NOT milk, so those with milk allergies need not worry). Premier Research Colostrum comes from the best source of organically fed cows that have never been ill, not commercially fed cows which may cause adverse symptoms.

Superior whole colostrum concentrate; pesticide-free, 21% IgG (natural immunoglobulins), not defatted; superior gastrointestinal & immune support; good-tasting Super Food for the whole family*

Colostrum Benefits

• Immune booster - Colostrum naturally contains a broad range of amazing immune boosters: immunoglobulins, hormones, enzymes, growth factors, peptides and nucleotides. Further, colostrum is the richest source of non-synthetic, all natural MSM – a sulfur compound which helps fight infection.
• Top infection fighter – Recent studies show that colostrum has the power to severely inhibit or destroy the growth of many dangerous bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites including E. coli, Helicobactor pylori, Listeria, rotaviruses, Streptococcus (many different varieties), Staphylococcus (many different strains), Salmonella, Shigella, Bacteroides, Berrelia, Clostridium, HIV and Candida albicans.
• Recovery after surgery or other injury extremely powerful healing support for the whole body.
• Rich in lactoferrin – supporting oxygen transport into the blood.

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The Infection Terminator

Recent studies show that colostrum has the power to severely inhibit or destroy the growth of many dangerous bacteria, viruses, and funguses, including E. coli, Helicobactor pylori, Listeria, rotaviruses, Streptococcus (many different varieties), Staphylococcus (many different strains), Salmonella, Shigella, Bacteroides, Borrelia, Clostridium, HIV and Candida albicans.

The Best Colostrum

• 100% whole Colostrum
• Not defatted which compromises its intracellular transport
• From organically fed, happy cows not from commercial cows treated with drugs and synthetic hormones
• Low temperature, air-dried
• Not freeze-dried or highly heated
• Broad spectrum immune system support
• Contains human-active immunoglobulins with a whopping 21% minimum immunoglobulins (IgG and IgA)
• Richest source of natural MSM
• A sulfur compound which helps promote a strong and healthy immune system
• Rich in Lactoferrin (6 mg/gram)
• A natural compound which helps to pro mote healthy oxygen transport in the blood
• From organically fed, happy cows that have never been ill
• Free of synthetic hormones and toxic chemicals
• No hormones, antibiotic residues or other drugs

Real-Life Colostrum Stories

Sore Throat And Flu Cleared – Jamie, a two-year old child, had a sore throat and flu for 3 days. Jamie’s mother was reluctant to give her antibiotics. So she decided to give Jamie 2 capsules of the natural infection fighter, organic colostrum. Her mother opened the capsules and mixed the pleasant tasting colostrum into Jamie’s food. Jamie immediately began to feel better. An hour later, her mother gave her 2 more capsules. By the next morning, Jamie’s sore throat and flu symptoms were completely gone. Children typically respond very quickly to organic colostrum.

Pain Vanished – A 56-year-old man, Ron, began experiencing pain for no apparent reason in his left side near his kidney. After two months, the pain became constant and began to worsen. Even after numerous medical tests, Ron’s medical doctor was at a loss to explain the cause of the pain. Then Ron remembered his nutritionist had once said that if a symptom persists for no known reason, think “infection.” So Ron got out his bottle of organic colostrum and took 2 capsules 3 times per day. In 3 days, the pain was gone.

Flu Knock-Out – A 45-year-old man, Stan, always got one or two bouts of flu every winter. At the start of one very bad bout of flu with headache, stuffy nose and sneezing loudly, Stan decided to go get some antibiotics, when his wife intervened, offering him organic colostrum instead. Shortly after taking 2 capsules, Stan felt somewhat better. An hour later, he took 2 more and continued to improve. By the end of the day, he had taken 20 capsules of organic colostrum. The next morning, Stan was amazed to find that he felt perfectly fine. He said this was the first time one of his bouts of flu was knocked out after only one day. (Keep an extra bottle of organic colostrum on hand — for unforeseen circumstances.)

Raging Fevers Gone – A man in his 60′s, Frank, came by our office to thank us for the miraculous effects of organic colostrum which he had experienced. Lasting more than a year, he had kept getting high fevers and chronic night sweats. He had taken at least 6 courses of antibiotics which had not put a dent in his raging fevers. In fact, they had made his liver worse. After two months of taking 2 organic colostrum capsules per meal, his fevers and night sweats dramatically cleared. Now he has had no symptoms for over 6 months. Both he and his wife were very grateful.

Allergies Relieved – Ed, a 71-year-old man, suffered with gradual onset of adult allergies which had escalated to allergic reactions to literally every food he ate. He would sneeze, cough and feel sick after every meal, regardless of what type of food he ate. He then gingerly tried one organic colostrum. Surprised that he felt so much better, he then tried 2 capsules after the next meal. Finally, when he got up to 5 capsules per meal, he could eat again with no allergic reactions. His headaches, sneezing and allergic symptoms all cleared. He used 5 capsules per meal for about one month. Now he has found that he can use one capsule per meal and remain symptom-free.

Chronic Lyme Disease  –

About 10% of Lyme Arthritis victims do not get well by conventional medical treatments, and Congressman Bedell was one of those. Bedell,2 testifying before Congress, said, “I left Congress because I came down with Lyme Disease which I contracted while fishing at Quantico Marine Base, and which conventional treatment failed to relieve. After three series of heavy antibiotics infused into my veins over a period of two years, I finally turned to unconventional treatment. My symptoms disappeared and today I am clearly free of Lyme Disease.

“Let me tell you about that treatment. There is a company in our own state of Iowa, Mr. Chairman, that produces a product for livestock by injecting killed germs into the udder of a cow prior to the time the cow has a calf. When the cow has the calf they then take the first milk that the cow gives, which is called colostrum, and process it into whey so that it will keep.

“The theory is that the cow will communicate the disease to the unborn calf, and will develop the antibodies, or whatever, in the colostrum to protect the newly-born calf from that disease.

“After I took a teaspoon of this whey every 1-1/2 hours for a few weeks, my symptoms of Lyme [Arthritis Disease] disappeared, and I no longer suffer from that disease. Because of the publicity of my case, I get frequent phone calls from desperate people who have been unable to get relief from Lyme [Arthritis Disease] with conventional treatment. It breaks my heart that I cannot tell them about my treatment, because no one has been willing to spend the millions and millions of dollars necessary to get FDA approval to market this special whey. I can tell you it cured what appeared to be arthritis in my knee in 15 minutes.

“I have talked to a doctor in Wisconsin who was using this material. He claims 80-90% success in treating patients like me for whom conventional treatments have not been effective. He has now been advised by the Iowa producer that the material will no longer be available because the producer is afraid of the FDA.”

It could have been added that the US Department of Agriculture can also act as a strong deterrent, preventing crossing the line from animals to humans.

We hope and pray for a much more mature Department of Agriculture and FDA who will grant permission to renew studies on the use of this already well-developed technology. These products especially prepared for maintaining the health of farm mammals should be easily available for us, too. After all, we’re also mammals, and deserve equal consideration.

Most experts agree that the highest quality colostrum is produced by Premier Research (formerly Quantum Research).

A dietary supplement called Biomune OSF Plus™ (under the Quantum label) contains an extract from colostrum and whey acquired from immunologically stimulated cows. This extract (100 mg) is combined in capsule form with a Chinese herb, Astragalus membranaceus (200 mg), in a base of rice powder. The product was developed by Quantum Research, Inc. a biotech research company that develops nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies, of Scottsdale, Arizona. The synergistic action of the extract with the Chinese herb helps to stimulate natural killer cell (NK) activity. Stanley Olsztyn, M.D., Jesse Stoff, M.D. and other health professionals have had very good results with this product. In a population of 107 participants (59 females, 48 males, average age 53 years ranging from 17 thru 83) initial killer cell activity was 18 Lytic Units (a measure of killer cell activity) and the final killer cell activity was 246 Lytic Units, an average of 28.556 Lytic units increase per month, or an average of improvement as measured by killer cell activity of 1,267% per month.

By comparison, the average NK cell activity in the U.S. population is 20-50, whereas in a healthy population it is 150-225.

Accompanying this dramatic increase in Natural Killer T cell activity were vast improvements in the population of 107 consisting of 50% cancer patients, 30% chronic fatigue syndrome, and the remaining 20% a mixed bag of lupus, allergies, fibromyalgia, blood disorders, hepatitis C, colitis, chronic infections, recurrent infections, autoimmune diseases, and cervical dysplasia/metaplasia.

Average time of treatment was 13.2 months taking from 2 to 8 capsules daily.

It should not be necessary to point out that these are remarkable improvements or remissions of many so-called incurable diseases.

Premier Research produces Pure Colostrum available here at a reasonable price.

Forrest Health is a superior and yet economical health supplement and information website that I wholeheartedly endorse (for those who are interested, yes, I am an affiliate – for the $2 – $5/month I earn).  Recently, Dr. Forrest wrote an excellent article about keeping foods stocked at home that will boost your immune system so that you don’t end up snacking on junk. The following information is taken largely from that article.

Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining immune function,” explained George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts in an article published by CNN Health. “Insufficiency in one or more essential nutrients may prevent the immune system from functioning at its peak.” And those of us with chronic Lyme disease need our immune system functioning as powerfully as possible.

David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut added:

“There’s no question the immune system fundamentally is influenced by overall health — and a balanced diet is key.

Not only are essential nutrients critical for the production and maintenance of key germ-fighting cells in the immune system, but a balanced diet also has a strong effect on vascular function, and the immune system is dependent on blood flow. The bloodstream is the route along which infection-fighting cells travel throughout the body to where they’re needed.”

There is no one magic food or pill that will make you resistant to colds and viruses, yet a plateful of nutritionally packed fruits, vegetables and antioxidant-rich herbs, drinks and snack options is one of the best immunity-building line of defenses that you can weave into your life on a daily basis. These superfoods should be stocked in your home at all times.

Greek Yogurt

The vitamin D benefits you consume from just one cup of yogurt a day can reduce your risk of getting a cold. When looking for a yogurt to buy, look for live and active cultures on the label as some research has shown these may work to trigger the immune system to help ward off diseases.

These live active cultures (also known as probiotics) are the healthy bacteria that protect and line your intestinal tract to keep it clear of disease-causing germs and improve your immune response by increasing the white blood cell count in the body.

Remember, 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system. This means that if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best. Eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt can help keep your digestive system functioning at its peak.

Look for plain Greek yogurt, as opposed to flavored varieties, as you’ll avoid excess sugar and sweeteners.

Sweet Potatoes

Not only do they taste good, but sweet potatoes are gaining a lot of attention for their nutritional health benefits including high fiber content. Eating one sweet potato with the skin on is equivalent to the amount of fiber in a half cup of oatmeal, resulting in fewer bouts of constipation and reducing the risks of diverticulosis and colon and rectal cancers.

This dark orange member of the vegetable family is also a rich source of vitamin A (beta carotene). The amount of antioxidant beta-carotene found in sweet potatoes wipes out potentially damaging free radicals, works to slow down the aging process and in some studies has been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.

Mushrooms

Despite the fact they are made up of 90 percent water, these fungi are packed with immune-bolstering punch. With the mineral selenium, antioxidants and the B vitamins riboflavin and niacin, research has shown that mushrooms can aid in a variety of important immune functions such as suppressing both breast and prostate cancers and decreasing the size of tumors.

In a CNN Health article, Clare Hasler, Ph.D., a well-known expert in functional foods and executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California, Davis, pointed out that mushrooms offer a healthy helping of the blood-pressure-lowering mineral potassium.

“Most people might be surprised to learn that while orange juice is touted as one of the highest potassium foods, one medium Portobello mushroom actually has more potassium,” said Hasler. “And five white button mushrooms have more potassium than an orange.”

Although virtually all mushrooms are good for your immune system, shitake mushrooms appear particularly beneficial. An active compound in shitakes called lentinan has been found to boost the immune system. In fact, studies have found this compound to be even more effective than prescription drugs for treating flu and other viruses, and it may improve the immune systems of people with HIV.

The bottom line is although they may not look attractive, these fungi are full of healthy nutrients that strengthen your immune system.

Almonds

Almonds are another excellent source of riboflavin and niacin B vitamins but in addition contain 50 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin E that works to elevate your immune system.

And if you’ve had a stress-filled day, just a handful of these nuts or 1/4 cup has been shown to lessen the effects of stress. Also the rich amount of antioxidants found in almonds is comparable to those found in several fruits and vegetables. Researchers at Tufts University discovered that a handful of almonds equals the amount of antioxidants as a serving of cooked broccoli!

Since almonds are considered a low-glycemic food, they may also contribute to improved blood sugar levels after eating a high-carbohydrate meal. Proper blood sugar levels help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Another study revealed that almonds play a key role in keeping cholesterol levels in check by reducing LDL — otherwise known as “bad” — cholesterol, similar to the effects of using a cholesterol-lowering medication.

Green Tea

Drinking a cup of green tea not only produces soothing effects on the body but also several health benefits due to its rich antioxidants. One of its powerful antioxidant flavonoids called epigallocatechin (EGCG) has been linked to anti-inflammatory effects, acting as a line of defense for the body and protecting it from the common cold and flu.

In your body, flavonoids act as powerful antioxidants that neutralize damage from free radicals. They’re known to:

• Help protect your blood vessels from rupture or leakage
• Enhance the power of vitamin C
• Protect your cells from oxygen damage
• Prevent excessive inflammation in your body

Studies have also found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers including skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder.

Drinking green tea is also good for your heart. According to one Chinese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, there was a 46-65 percent reduction in hypertension risk in regular consumers of green tea, compared to non-consumers of tea.

Plant-derived antioxidants abundant in green tea, particularly catechins, have been found to have stronger disease-fighting properties than vitamins C and E, play a significant role in reducing the risk of heart disease by blocking the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and improving artery function.

Wild Salmon

The American Heart Association calls salmon a heart-healthy food, rich in omega-3 fats, and recommends eating it twice a week, especially for those at risk of cardiovascular disease. In a study of heart failure participants reported by the American Heart Association it was discovered that after one year of receiving omega-3 supplements, heart patients showed a 10.4 percent increase in heart function, compared with a 5 percent decrease among those taking placebo.

Other research has revealed that omega-3 fatty acids like those found in wild salmon decrease arrhythmia, triglyceride levels and slow the rate of plaque buildup. If you need more reasons to start eating salmon you can choose from one of the following: it’s low in calories, contains a lot of protein, is a good source of iron and is very low in saturated fat.

When shopping for your salmon be sure to pick out wild salmon over farm-raised for health and safety reasons. Studies have shown that wild salmon contains more of the healthy omega 3s than farm-raised salmon. Farm raised salmon, on the other hand, accumulates more cancer-causing PCBs and dioxins — in some cases up to 16 times more — than in wild salmon.

Spinach and Broccoli

Winter marks the peak season for broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. You can easily add these staple vegetables to your salads, rice, soup or side dishes. Broccoli is loaded with a myriad of healthy antioxidants including vitamins A, C, E and K, strong anti-cancer agents and glucosinolates that work to stimulate the body’s immune system.  Be careful to cook these vegetables because they are hard to digest, and most of us with Lyme disease have digestion issues either in symptom form or as a result of detoxification.  Cook them long enough to be soft but not so long that they lose their nutritious value.

All of these nutrients work together in harmony to keep your body and immune system working at its peak level.

Popeye the Sailor Man had the right idea by eating his spinach, too, to stay big and strong and now research is showing that he could have also reaped the benefits of healthier hair follicles from its abundance of vitamins A and C, which produce an oily substance called sebum that acts as a built-in natural hair conditioner.

This superfood also contains folate, a nutrient that plays a key role in generating new cells, repairing DNA and producing red blood cells. Folate also works at fighting depression and keeping your brain in a youthful state by slowing down the effects of aging.

Grapefruit and Oranges

Fill your body with vitamin C and protect yourself from cold and flu season by having a grapefruit with your breakfast. This nutrient-dense fruit is packed with flavonoids and natural chemical compounds that have been found to increase the activation of the immune system.

If grapefruit is too tart for your taste buds then pick up a bag of oranges or tangerines to optimize your immunity, or if you’re in the midst of fighting off a cold, possibly shorten its duration with these vitamin C-enriched foods.

One important thing to keep in mind is that your body isn’t able to store vitamin C, so you need to replenish it every day with healthy citrus fruits and vegetables.

Citrus fruits also offer your body a great source of fiber to help move things along the digestive tract. They have even been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and lower the risks of certain types of cancer.

Berry-Oxidants — Blue, Elder and Acai

Out of all the fruit families, blueberries rank the highest in antioxidants, protecting against damage caused by free radicals that may lead to dangerous health conditions such as blood vessel disease and some cancers. A few blueberries go a long way — just one cup supplies you with 14 percent of the recommended dose of daily fiber and almost a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

These wonder berries are also responsible for slowing down the normal aging process while warding off age-related diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. They may also reverse some effects of brain-aging diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease by helping improve memory and concentration.

A relative of the blueberry, the acai berry (native to Central and South America) has been stirring up antioxidant activity of its own with research showing it may help prevent diseases resulting from oxidative stress such as heart disease and cancer.

The richly colored elderberry, native to North America, grows on trees referred to as “the medicine chest.” It boasts anti-viral capabilities and an abundant source of flavonoids (quercetin and anthocyanins) that work in sync with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, fending off viruses and activating immune cells. One of the components of elderberries, lectins, has been proven in laboratory tests to stop the reproduction of 10 different strains of the flu virus.

Garlic

This strong-smelling food will not only temporarily keep romance at bay, but also infections, colon and stomach cancers and bacteria, fungal and parasitic infections.

Often touted as a miracle food, garlic contains powerful antioxidants that battle foreign invaders from the body such as H. pylori, bacteria associated with certain ulcers and stomach cancers. Its immunity-building properties provide your body built-in anti-tumor and antioxidant properties that forge a wall against daily wear and tear on the body.

Sources

Forrest Health

Prevention 9 Power Foods that Boost Immunity

Web MD November 12, 2009

Web MD 10 Everyday Super Foods

CNN Health November 14, 2007

CNN Health November 6, 2007

ABC News October 30, 2008

American Heart Association Fish 101

Health.com World’s Healthiest Foods: Yogurt (Greece)

Medical News Today January 14, 2007

Many LLDs will tell you it is impossible to get rid of chronic Lyme disease – the best we can hope for is functionality and minimizing the intensity and number of symptoms.

With the discovery of biofilms, we have come a huge step forward in our understanding of how to get rid of one major aspect of the disease that protects the spirochetes from antibiotics and allows the disease to remain firmly entrenched in our bodies…and now we have a way to destroy their “cover” and further reduce the bacteria load in our system and push the deadly invader out of cover where antibiotics, killing herbs and proven treatment protocols can work.

As medical researchers continue to study the bizarre resistance spirochetes manifest, they continue to find new hiding places such as, parasites, bile, lymph nodes and even white blood cells.  Over time, I believe there will be treatment protocols to eliminate every hiding place but for now, what can we do?

IVIG can be a very important tool to aid our body’s tired immune system as we have looked at in detail.  Meanwhile, there are many things we can do to boost our immune system in addition to IVIG or if the choice is made against IVIG therapy.

First, Taking nutrient supplements that are known to be depleted by Lyme is extremely helpful.  Magnesium has been recommended for years until it was discovered that the incredibly intelligent spirochete utilizes as much magnesium as it can get to build biofilms…be careful what supplements you take, and how effective they are as far as being accessible to your blood stream (do they absorb easily or pass out whole?)

Gold 360 is certainly the best immune booster I have found and includes many of the anti-Lyme properties we have read about such as Noni and mushrooms.  If you can’t afford a dozen supplements buy Gold 360 and rest easy knowing you are giving your body the very best in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, anti-aging properties, mental acuity boosting properties, and especially immune system boosting properties.

Sleep is a very important part of supporting your immune system too, and it is up to each of us to make sure our bodies get at least 8 hours to regenerate each night.  Melatonin and Gaba are two natural sleep aids, Gaba will also soothe the central nervous system protecting against anxiety and other symptoms that are caused by a damaged central nervous system.

Diet is also very important.  Some foods will assist keeping our immune system strong while other foods are worthless and even harmful.  Diet and the immune system will be covered in the next post.  Meanwhile, rather than relying only on IVIG treatments, it is important to do everything possible to support a healthy and strong immune system so that it can fight more effectively against chronic Lyme disease and the multiple co-infections that most often come with it.

This is a picture of me just weeks before I crashed – accomplishing my dream of qualifying for USDF (United States Dressage Federation) Championships for Region 8 (all of New England including New York) at Prix St. Georges – a “test” that is part of the International standard of testing.  For an adult amateur, it was a very ambitious goal, and to actually win third place was beyond my wildest dreams!

To go from such a high to such a low can only be understood by others who have experienced Lyme.  The profound weakness…the excruciating pain, the emotional breakdown…I called it a flu, but it didn’t allow me to get out of bed, let alone ride (I was riding two horses daily at that time).  I couldn’t conceive of being sick for more than a couple days, or at worst a week.  Five years later so much has changed – from values to social interaction (or lack thereof).

I ended Part One sharing my joy about riding and wanted to start with a small glimpse into my baby steps.  I do this tongue-in-cheek to emphasize that we must not give in to the depression that holds us so tightly as the years go by and we are forced to watch the world pass outside our window. No matter how outrageous the dream or goal may be…break it into baby steps.

Guided in 2009

On my own in 2011

How I feel riding!

“Thoughts become things…” as Mike Dooley has coined, “…make them good ones!” (I recommend signing up for Mike’s “Notes from the Universe” – they are free, funny and sometimes profound – delivered daily to your inbox, sometimes the note is just what you need to here to feel better about yourself!) Another tip: If you have a good day mentally but are still stuck in the wheelchair, try reading Lance Armstrong’s book, “It’s Not About The Bike”

Start with baby steps.

Back to IVIG which stand for Intravenous immune globulin, and refers to the fraction of blood plasma that contains “immunoglobulins” or “antibodies.” It is the backbone of our immune system.

Individuals who are unable to produce adequate amounts of immunoglobulins or antibodies, such as patients with chronic Lyme disease – and especially those with multiple co-infections, and those with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, hyper-IgM syndromes or other forms of hypogammaglobulinemia, may benefit from replacement therapy with immunoglobulin.

It is important to understand that the immunoglobulin that is given partly replaces what the body should be making, but it does not help the patient’s own immune system make more. Unfortunately, the immunoglobulin only provides temporary protection. Most antibodies, whether produced by the patient’s own immune system or given in the form of immunoglobulin, are used up or “metabolized” by the body. Approximately 1/2 of the infused antibodies are metabolized over 3 to 4 weeks, so repeat doses are required at regular intervals.

Depending on the route of administration, this may be done by giving small infusions under the skin as often as every 2 or 3 days, or larger intravenous infusions once every 3 or 4 weeks. Since it only replaces the missing end product, but does not correct the defect in antibody production, immunoglobulin replacement is usually necessary for the patient’s whole life.

B-lymphocytes mature into plasma cells, which manufacture antibodies and release them into the bloodstream. There are literally millions of different antibodies in every normal person, but because there are so many different germs, no one person has made antibodies to every germ. The best way to ensure that the immunoglobulin will contain a wide variety of antibodies is to combine, or “pool”, blood from many individuals.

To commercially prepare immunoglobulin that can be given to patients with a primary immunodeficiency, the immunoglobulin must first be purified (extracted) from the plasma, or liquid part, of the blood of normal healthy individuals. Donors are screened for travel or behavior that might increase the risk of acquiring an infectious disease. All immunoglobulin licensed in the U.S. is made from plasma collected in America. The blood or plasma from each donor is carefully tested for evidence of transmissible diseases, such as AIDS or hepatitis, and any sample that is even suspected of having one of those diseases is discarded.

Plasma is collected from tens of thousands of donors, and then pooled together. The first step in immunoglobulin production is to remove all the red and white blood cells. This is frequently done right as it comes out of the donor’s arm by a process called plasmapheresis, which returns the red and white cells directly back to the donor. Then, the immunoglobulins are chemically purified from the liquid plasma in a series of steps usually involving treatment with alcohol. This process results in the purification of antibodies of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) class; only trace amounts of IgA and IgM remain in the final product. The purification process removes blood proteins other than IgG and is also very effective at killing viruses and other germs that may be in the blood.

There are now several immunoglobulin preparations licensed in the U.S. for intravenous (IV) use. For the most part, the products are equivalent in antibody activity. However, there are some minor differences, which may make one particular preparation more suitable for a given individual. Most of the products that can be given intravenously contain some type of sugar or amino acids which help preserve the IgG molecules and prevent them from sticking together to form aggregates, which can cause severe side effects.

Although these additives are harmless for most people, some of them may cause problems for specific individuals. Your doctor is your best source of information about which product is best for you. IV infusions are usually given once every three or four weeks. This results in a very high “peak” IgG level in the blood right after the dose is given and may leave a relatively low IgG level in the blood at the “trough” just before the next dose is due.

Purified immunoglobulin has been used for nearly 50 years and has an excellent safety record. There has never been a case of AIDS due to the use of immunoglobulin. However, in 1993, before we had good tests for the presence of the Hepatitis C virus, there was an outbreak of hepatitis C associated with one of the immunoglobulin preparations. Since that time, all immunoglobulin preparations are treated with special steps which are included to specifically kill viruses such as the AIDS virus and the hepatitis viruses. Some processes treat the immunoglobulin with solvent and detergent to dissolve the envelopes of the viruses. Others pasteurize with heat or use acid treatment to kill them. These methods have been shown by FDA tests to destroy all AIDS and hepatitis viruses, and most manufacturers now perform several of these steps on every batch to make the chance of any virus getting through as low as possible.

Most patients usually tolerate the intravenous immunoglobulin products very well.

They can be administered either in an outpatient clinic or in the patient’s own home. A typical infusion will take two to four hours from start to finish. Some patients may tolerate certain preparations more quickly, while others may take longer to receive their dose of IgG. Use of intravenous products allows physicians to give larger doses of immunoglobulin than could be given intramuscularly. In fact, doses can be given that are large enough to keep the IgG levels in the patient’s serum in the normal range, even just before the next infusion when the level would be lowest.

Most patients have no side effects from the IV infusions, but sometimes low-grade fever or headaches occur. These symptoms can usually be alleviated or eliminated by infusing the immunoglobulin at a slower rate and/or by giving acetaminophen, aspirin or other common medications an hour or so before infusion. Less often, patients experience hives, chest tightness or wheezing. These symptoms usually respond to antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl™) and/or asthma medications like albuterol.

As in my case, headaches may occasionally be severe, especially in patients with a history of migraines. These headaches may occur during the infusion or as long as three to five days later. I use Benadryl successfully, plus Excedrin “Migraine” and ice if the headaches get really bad.

Some with the more severe and persistent headaches have been found to have an increase in the number of white blood cells in the cerebral-spinal fluid, which surrounds the brain. This is known as aseptic meningitis. The cause of this apparent inflammation is not known, but it is not an infection and patients have not had permanent injury. It is bothersome, and usually requires treatment. In some patients merely changing brands of IVIG will eliminate the problem. In some cases, it is necessary to treat with a steroid, before, during, or after the infusion. You should notify your doctor if you experience headaches that do not respond to standard medications such as acetaminophen.

The dose of immunoglobulin varies from patient to patient. In part, the dose is determined by the patient’s condition and weight. It is also determined by measuring the level of IgG in the patient’s blood at some interval after infusion, and by determining how well a given dose of immunoglobulin treats or prevents symptoms in an individual patient. Studies have shown that patients with chronic sinusitis and chronic lung diseases such as bronchitis do better when given higher doses of immunoglobulin. Some patients, who lose IgG molecules from their digestive tracts or kidneys, may require more frequent doses.

It is important to remember that although our current immunoglobulin products are very good, they do not duplicate exactly what nature normally provides. The manufactured immunoglobulin is almost pure IgG, so essentially no IgA or IgM is transferred to the patient. The specific protective functions of these immunoglobulins are therefore not replaced.

Gaining a diagnosis for autoimmune deficiency or CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy  is an acquired immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system. The disorder is sometimes called chronic relapsing polyneuropathy and is the opposite of autoimmune deficiency) with respect to your chronic Lyme disease can be a full time job and quite intimidating when most medical doctors want to throw you in a loony bin as soon as you mention chronic Lyme.

It is much more “politically correct” to use the term Post-Lyme Syndrome and for some reason easier to swallow by mainstream doctors but it is the same disease.  So finding a Lyme-literate neurologist or immunologist, and having your immune system thoroughly evaluated is the critical first step.  Read Part Three for the next steps.