Include These 5 Best Foods To Fight The Infection Better
Written by Aishwarya Iyer | Updated : July 30, 2018 2:02 PM IST
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How Does A Healthy Diet Geared Towards Lyme Treatment Differ From A General Healthy Diet
Gilian Crowther says: A general healthy diet will ideally be sugar-free and low in fast-acting carbohydrates. It will ideally be high in good fats , contain moderate amounts of protein, and be a rainbow diet full of colour.
A diet geared towards Lyme treatment will be particularly anti-inflammatory because of the havoc Borrelia unleashes in the tissues/synovial fluid, etc. The fatty acid component is especially important because of the way Borrelia deplete cholesterol/phospholipids and thus impair cell membrane integrity.
Eating organic as much as possible is more important in someone with Lyme disease than in a normal healthy diet, though it is always to be strived for ideally. This is because the Lyme patients system is already under stress, and glyphosate disables the microbiome dramatically, making recovery harder. Dr. Stephanie Seneff MIT has written about this in great detail.
Lydia Madrigal says: Lyme patients often face problems with digestion, and need nutrition that is more easily digestible. They have an even higher demand of nutrients, and in many cases, supplementation is required to refill vitamin stores.
Foods And Drinks To Help Manage Chronic Lyme Disease
These anti-inflammatory foods are as powerful as they are delicious.
If you are suffering from chronic Lyme disease, you should be in the care of a physician you trust, working with them to find a system of treatments that suits your bodys needs. In addition to medical care, those who suffer from chronic Lyme can help manage their condition on a day-to-day basis by choosing a diet that can combat the disease. What you eat and drink can assist in changing your bodys health, and its ability to fight any number of diseases.
Lyme is a very complex disease, and involves many systems of the body, including the skin, heart, brain, and gut, says Dr. Verma of Synergistiq Integrative Health. The common thread here is weakened immunity, and the center for immunity is located in the gut, where there are over 100 trillion bacteria trying to regulate all the body’s responses.
There are three main categories of foods you should consider increasing in your diet if you suffer from chronic Lyme: anti-inflammatory foods, foods that support the immune system, and foods that can help improve gut health. The idea behind all of these is to assist cellular repair and improve energy levels.
Skip the sugars and carbs found in processed foods, as yeast thrive on those, and will further disrupt the bacterial gut flora, Dr. Verma says.
Sweet Potato
Chickpeas
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The Top 10 Vitamins And Supplements For Lyme Disease
Lyme disease medical treatment, whether it involves pharmaceutical or herbal antibiotics, is necessary for recovery. However, antibiotics alone are often insufficient for inducing long-term recovery. High-quality nutritional supplements are a powerful complement to antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease that can enhance your recovery process. Supplements for Lyme disease augment the treatment process by addressing factors that antibiotics alone cannot improve, including reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, enhancing detoxification, and supporting gut health. Read on to learn about the top ten nutritional supplements that can complement your Lyme medical treatment and accelerate your recovery.
An Overview Of Medical Treatment For Lyme Disease
Medical treatments for Lyme disease include antibiotics, herbal antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical drugs besides antibiotics. Combinations of antibiotics are typically used for Lyme disease treatment because the three types of Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi for short, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii, morph into different forms that must be targeted with different antibiotics. Antibiotics that are commonly used to treat Lyme disease include penicillins , cephalosporins , macrolides , and tetracyclines .
The natural world is filled with botanicals with antibiotic properties. Herbal antibiotic protocols incorporate many of natures most potent antibiotic plants. Two of the most popular herbal antibiotic protocols for Lyme disease include the Buhner and the Cowden protocols. A few notable herbs in these protocols include Japanese Knotweed , which, in addition to being antibacterial, contains phytochemicals that alleviate Lyme-induced inflammation, and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, a bitter botanical with potent anti-Borrelia activity.
Several non-antibiotic drugs are also used in Lyme disease treatment, including artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, and low-dose naltrexone , an immune system-modulating drug. You can read more about the applications of LDN for Lyme disease in my article, Low Dose Naltrexone for Lyme Disease Treatment.
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The Best Brain Inflammation Pain Energy And Detox Diet Ever
Try this diet. I think it is the best option for someone with chronic Lyme disease. It is designed to:
- improve brain function and grow nerve connections,
- prevent Alzheimers disease and Parkinsons disease which Lyme can trigger,
- prevent and treats yeast overgrowth in the intestines that could cause more inflammation,
- provide key vitamins, antioxidants, and dietary fiber for detoxification,
- and repair and grow cell energy factories called mitochondria found in every cell.
The diet is named the Mito Food Plan. It was developed by physicians and nutritionist from The Institute for Functional Medicine and is based on the latest science. This article includes numerous papers and articles that are printed here for you to download with permission of the authors.
Problem : The Lyme Bacterium Is A Survivor
Lyme bacteria knows how to stay alive inside its host. It suppresses the immune system, which allows it to survive and multiply. Lyme also seems to have the ability to cloak itself, making itself invisible to our immune system. In fact, Borrelia is so smart that some research suggests that when it senses its being attacked, it can go into a dormant state, allowing it to live and survive against the onslaught of antibiotics. Other studies suggest that Borrelia can actually mutate its own genes to make it resistant to antibiotics.
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How To Manage Inflammation In Lyme Disease
Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterial cause of Lyme disease, and co-infections causes the immune system to launch a profound inflammatory response. While antibiotic treatments, such as doxycycline and cefuroxime, can destroy B. burgdorferi, these drugs do little to mitigate the inflammatory response launched in response to these microbes. Left untreated, Lyme-induced inflammation damages cells, tissues, and organs, inducing widespread bodily dysfunction.
While the CDC offers recommendations for Lyme disease treatment from the antimicrobial perspective, it makes no recommendations as to how affected individuals should manage the inflammatory side effects of the illness. Functional medicine, on the other hand, offers a unique set of tools for managing Lyme-associated inflammation, including nutrition changes, lifestyle changes, and natural anti-inflammatory compounds. These holistic interventions can significantly improve Lyme disease inflammation, creating a strong foundation for healing.
The Role And Impact Of Diet In Managing Lyme Disease
For many Lyme sufferers, antibiotic treatment alone is not enough to cure all symptoms, and many are thought to suffer from food insensitivities or autoimmune issues which are either triggered by, or affected by the infection.
But with a ton of information to sift through on the internet and sometimes conflicting information and experiences to be found in online forums, what diet is best? And how much difference can it really make to your recovery?
As part of our Lyme Awareness Month content, in this blog we are shining some light on this method of managing Lyme, and have posed questions to some of the leading nutritional clinics and consultants in the UK on how diet can play its part in fighting Lyme or managing the symptoms.
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Foods That Fight Chronic Inflammation Part 2
Welcome back to our blog. There are many factors that can either contribute to or can relieve the symptoms Lyme disease patients experience, and your diet is one of them. One of the most common symptoms associated with this condition is chronic inflammation, which may affect the nerves, joints, muscles, and digestive system. Therefore, eating foods that combat inflammation can help reduce pain, discomfort, and limited mobility caused by inflammation. Last time, we started looking at some of the best foods to incorporate into your diet to fight inflammation caused by Lyme disease. Lets look at three more foods that can naturally fight inflammation in the body in todays blog post.
Foods To Help Fight Lyme
Here are some food suggestions for fighting Lyme Disease, and what foods to avoid — taken directly from Dr. Strams PowerPoint presentation to Core Life Eaterys sold out audience on June 13th in Vestal, NY.
We hope this information will help you in your quest to overcome Lyme!
FIGHTING FOODS:
Eat these foods in abundance
Healthy oils and fats
Raw or cured fruit fats
- Avocados
Nuts
- All raw or toasted nuts, except peanuts, which are a legume
Seeds
Herbs, seasonings and condiments
- All Fresh and dried herbs, spices and rhizomes*
*Many commercially packed condiments and seasonings, such as mustards, horseradish, salsas, tapenades, vinegars, and herb/spice mixtures can be used if they were made without the addition of wheat-derived vinegars or any sweetener other than natural stevia. Be aware that some packaged products are made at plants that process wheat and/or soy and thus may be contaminated.
Vegetables
- Broccoli Leafy lettuce and greens
- Brussel sprouts Leeks
- Summer squashes and squash blossoms Winter squashes
- Yellow was beans
- Wild Fish Shellfish and mollusks
- Black cod Sea bass Calamari
- Halibut Trout Clams
- Grass-fed or pasture-raised meats Free-range organic poultry
- Beef wild birds
LIMITING FOODS:
The following foods can be used in moderation.
Moderation means that you may eat small amounts of these ingredients once a day.
Nongluten grains
Legumes
- Dried beans Lentils Dried peas
Vegetables
Full-fat dairy products
- Cottage cheese cream kefir
- Milk Yogurt
- Apples
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Is The Keto Lyme Diet The Answer
More studies need to be done that test this diet on patients with Lyme, but for now I feel its a safe and effective way to support your body through the process of healing Lyme. Many of the pathways implicated in Lyme disease are also modulated with a high-fat, low-carb keto diet. Because of this, in my practice I put almost all my patients with Lyme on some form of Ketotarian diet. Depending on how severe your Lyme disease is, I suggest seeking out a Lyme-savvy functional medicine practitioner whos familiar with Lyme and low-carb, high-fat diets like the Keto diet.
As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.
The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
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BY DR. WILL COLE
Evidence-based reviewed article
Help Clients Recover From Lyme Disease With Diet And Nutrition
Optimal nutrition is essential for Lyme disease recovery. Read on to learn how you, as a dietitian or CNS, can help your clients with Lyme disease ease their symptoms and lead a healthier life with a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet.
Lyme disease, contracted from the bite of a black-legged tick carrying Borrelia bacteria, is one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the United States. At least 300,000 people are newly diagnosed each year in the U.S., and a shocking 1.5 million have chronic Lyme disease.
As a clinical nutritionist working with clients who have Lyme disease, Ive seen firsthand how a Functional Medicine approach based on simple dietary changes can boost energy, support cognitive function, and alleviate chronic inflammation, reducing the impact of Lyme disease on my clients lives. While nutrition cannot cure Lyme disease, it can ease symptoms and improve your clients overall health, complementing their Lyme treatment protocols and accelerating the healing process.
For people with Lyme disease, making simple dietary changes can help boost energy, improve cognitive function, and reduce chronic inflammation. Find out how clinical nutritionist Lindsay Christensen uses diet and nutrition to support clients with Lyme. #nutrition #functionalmedicine
Contents
- Trigger autoimmunity
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Can Lyme Disease Be Cured
Most Lyme disease cases can be cured with a two- to four-week course of antibiotics, says Dr. Kaufman. This is especially true if youre treated in the early stages of infection, which is why its so important to be aware of any potential exposure and symptoms.
In rare cases, however, some patients will continue experiencing symptoms such as pain, fatigue and numbness, and will be diagnosed with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.
How Is Lyme Disease Treated
If Lyme disease is caught early, it will typically be treated with a short course of an antibiotic such as doxycycline or amoxicillin.
While new studies are in the works, there are no current proven treatments for the minority of people who develop post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Most of these individuals will find that their post-treatment Lyme disease heals on its own over the course of a few months.
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The Best Supplements For Lyme Disease
by Lyme Mexico | Mar 8, 2022 | Alternative Treatments |
Lyme disease is well-known for the inflammatory responses it creates in the body. This happens anytime the body senses a foreign bacterium. Inflammation is used as a defense mechanism. It seeks, finds, and destroys the enemy. Unfortunately, with Lyme disease, it is not always that simple.
When inflammation is constantly present in your body, you can experience swelling, soreness, tenderness, and chronic pain in every area of the body. Lyme bacteria are very good at hiding in your bloodstream and going dormant to avoid detection. This puts inflammation on a continual hunt for bacteria but without success.
Treatment for Lyme disease typically consists of antibiotics.
Polysaccharides To Refrain From With Lyme Disease Diet
Sucrose, fructose, lactose, alpha-galactose, mucilage less than 1gm per cup per serving
References:
- Moriya Ohkuma, Satoko Noda, Satoshi Hattori, et al. Acetogenesis from H2 plus CO2 and nitrogen fixation b an endosymbiotic spirochete of a termite-gut cellulolytic protist. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015 112:10224-10230. doi:10.1073/pnas.1423979112.
- Akatsu S. The Influence of Carbohydrates on the Cultivation of Spirochetes. The Journal Of Experimental Medicine. 1917 25:375-380.
- Phillips ND, La T, Pluske JR, Hampson DJ. A wheat-based diet enhances colonization with the intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira intermedia in experimentally infected laying hens. Avian Pathology. 2004 33:451-457. doi:10.1080/0307945042000260620.
- McKenna M. A meaty mystery. Biologist. 2019 66:18-21.
- de la Fuente J, Pacheco I, Villar M, Cabezas-Cruz A. The alpha-Gal syndrome: new insights into the tick-host conflict and cooperation. Parasites & Vectors. 2019 12:154. doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3413-z.
- McFadzean N. Nutrition and Lyme Disease. Townsend Letter. 2010 :64-65.
- Nieto-Patlan A, Campillo-Navarro M, Rodriguez-Cortes O, et al. Recognition of Candida albicans by Dectin-1 induces mast cell activation. Immunobiology. 2015 220:1093-1100. doi:10.1016/j.imbio.2015.05.005.
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What Is Functional Medicine And How Can It Help
Gilian Crowther says: Functional medicine is a science-based whole-systems approach that strives to identify and address the underlying causes of clinical symptoms, rather than just the symptoms. It is ideal for chronic conditions: it looks at environmental, toxicological, infectious, nutritional and genetic drivers the whole big picture, giving the therapist and patient a set of tools and roadmap to work with in a very systematic way. Functional medicine is not an alternative approach, it is integrative a 360 approach, rather than just identifying one aspect of health imbalance and treating just that.
The tests carried out by doctors/practitioners who practise functional medicine are also more extensive than those generally available under state health systems, though full blood counts/thyroid profiles, etc. are all first-line tests of great relevance. Further information can be found at for example the Institute for Functional Medicine, .
Customizing Diet And Nutrition For Clients With Lyme
The dietary template outlined here can do wonders in helping your clients with Lyme disease experience symptom relief. However, Lyme disease patients are a complicated bunch, and some may require a more customized dietary approach due to digestive health issues, food sensitivities, and nutrient deficiencies.
Functional lab testing can help you tailor nutrition protocols to the needs of your clients, helping them get back on their feet faster.
I hope you find these nutritional strategies useful as you work with clients who have Lyme disease!
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