Tick-borne diseases have been on the rise for decades now,
and one of the most prominent has been Lyme. This one is tricky to address for
several reasons.
One is that we often don’t know that we have acquired the
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria
(specifically, a spirochete) until symptoms begin; the often mentioned “bull’s-eye
rash” that can occur after a tick bite where
B. burgdorferi is introduced into the system only occurs in about 37%
of people infected.
And, second, generally speaking, antibiotic reversal is only effective when
used during the first few months following infection; after that, treatment is
much more challenging due to the intelligent nature of the spirochete. I won’t
go on at length about the bacteria and its co-infections because, while
fascinating to explore (you can find lots of information online), most of you
reading this post will be more interested in how to reduce your symptoms (or
those of someone you love, be it person or animal; seeking support for my dog
who contracted Lyme disease about a decade ago was the impetus for my own
journey into how non-conventional modalities could help him recover).
That said, before getting to treatments and lifestyle
shifts, I do want to mention that my perspective is not that of conventional
medicine, which should be no surprise to anyone who is on my blog. I am firmly
in the camp that versions of this syndrome have been around for thousands of
years, and that the degree to which we are each affected by an infection is a
direct result of our susceptibility
to the bacteria, and is not something to be turned into a battle against the
bacteria, which would be a battle against the natural world. My primary focus
is to increase vibrational harmony in
one’s own system so that it is no longer appealing to the bacteria and they die
naturally without reproducing and spreading.
How do we do this? We move through my Five Petal Path of Healing. At the core of this approach is
understanding one’s own Nature through which lens we then look at Lifestyle,
Food & Spices, Cell Salts, Homeopathy, and Flower Essences, and how each of
these might assist in bringing ourselves back into holistic vibrational
harmony. Much of the process is distinctly individualized, rather than a
one-size-fits-all, which is why few specific remedies are mentioned below.
Knowing our Nature,
or innate temperament and/or constitution, is important because not being aware
of our tendencies is often part of how we get out of balance. I evaluate a
person’s basic nature via the five elements and the
dosha in Ayurveda. Once understood, we can then shift
Lifestyle and/or Food & Spices to
better support the journey back to harmony. Using Ayurveda’s wisdom, I would
agree with Gerard Buffo, MD, that the primary physiological effect, when chronic symptoms emerge, is one of deranged
Vata
dosha in the system; we can see this
derangement in the most common Lyme symptoms.
The inflammatory response of the body, however, is distinctly
Pitta dosha – and ties into a majority
of Lyme patients tending toward a Type A personality (which makes them more
susceptible).
The next two petals considered are Cell Salts and Homeopathy. Use of these related modalities can
depend upon where you are in the phase of infection, whether acute or chronic.
They can provide support for tissues or render subtle detoxification; they can
build strength or lend prevention to further infection, and much more. There
are some remedies quite specific to Lyme dis-ease, while others are broader in
their scope.
The final petal can also be the first one, depending upon
how we decide to approach your individual situation. This is the phenomenally
powerful modality of Flower Essence
therapy, and affects everything we do in bringing back a life and body of
harmony. In particular, I incorporate a flower essence research protocol
developed by Delta Gardens, which also addresses energetic recovery from co-infections
of Lyme.
As always, please contact me if you would like more
information and/or a consultation. I would be happy to help.
