Collagen Protection Neuroborreliosis & Restoration Of Damaged Tissues
Collagen structures must be restored. They are damaged by the bacteria which use them for food. You can support this by taking a gelatin supplement, bone broth soup stock, selenium, vitamin C, Kudzu, echinacea angustifolia, as well as infusions of nettle, oatstraw, horsetail & parsley
Motherwort is particularly helpful in protecting nerves and mitochondria in cells.
Chinese Cat’s Claw and Lion’s Mane mushroom are both good at protecting and regeneerating neural structures in the brain. When mentioning Uncaria, Buhner states that you “can’t find a more specific herb for treating damage caused by neuroborreliosis” 363.
Polygala senega is used to stimulate neural regrowth and Melatonin is also a great general supplement to use during Lyme infection to help protect neural structures.
If Youre Familiar With Integrative Treatment For Lyme Disease At All Youve Probably Heard Of The Buhner Protocols
But, what are the Buhner protocols, and what makes them such a great option for treating late stage Lyme Disease and/or coinfections?
Its a valid question, when there are so many types of integrative treatment to choose from.
Quite a few Lyme Literate physicians treat their patients with long term oral and IV antibiotic combinations, along with some nutritional and botanical supplements.
Some homeopaths prefer to use the DesBio Lyme and coinfection vials, or classical homeopathy.
There are lots of herbal protocols, too , Cowden, BioPure CockTail, Vital Plan, and Results RNA, to name a few.
He Has Nine Individual Protocols To Cover The Major Tick Borne Infections
Buhner has written three extensive books covering tick borne infections, how they affect the body, and how to treat them based on the organs each one damages, the cytokine cascades each one activates, and the botanicals that have been shown to affect each one the most.
So, he covers not only specific treatment for Borrelia Burgdorferi, but also Tick Borne Relapsing Fever, tick borne Chlamydia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Bartonella, Babesia, Mycoplasma, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma infections. No other Lyme Literate researcher, practitioner, author, or clinic has done this.
Recommended Reading: Lyme Booster Shot For Dogs
Success With Buhners Protocol For Lyme Disease
February 1, 2020Brenda Cosentino
In May 2014 I picked out my coffin and was planning my funeral. I had been sick for almost 20 years and was also battling a serious kidney infection on top of the Lyme disease and co-infections. I was given a chronic fatigue/fibro diagnosis many years prior to this. After I was finally diagnosed with Lyme, Bartonella, babesia, Epstein-Barr virus, parasites and a few other co-infections, I traveled to Mexico where I received intensive ozone treatments for a month at a local clinic. I felt better for a brief time but relapsed 2 months later. Since the Lyme was chronic, I decided to hold off on the antibiotics as I was concerned about my gut health. I could always try the antibiotics later on if I was not successful in finding a solution.
I remember feeling very discouraged and completely worn out. I asked God to either take me or heal me. The next day while researching online I found Stephen Buhners website. Buhner is an herbalist from New Mexico who had developed a protocol for treating Lyme and co-infections. I immediately ordered the herbs for his original protocol.***Note Buhners original protocol included eleutherococcus instead of andrographis. As a side note I was already using andrographis as part of my parasite cleansing treatment.
Babesia Treatment At The 6
Babesia are malaria-like protozoans that parasitize and reproduce in the red blood cells. Chronic symptoms that I had included air hunger , persistent cough, fatigue, fevers, headache, imbalance, chills, sweats and anemia. I decided to try Buhners recommended herbs for babesia. I had been coughing for 4 months straight. I would develop this cough almost every year, and it would last for months on end. I knew it was time to treat the babesia. I wrote a more in-depth post about it here Two Herbs For Babesia Success.
Babesia Herbs
Sida Acuta- 1/4 tsp 3 x per day
Cryptolepis- 1/4 tsp 3 x per day
I took these for 5 weeks straight. I decided to stop, as I was developing a yeast problem and my stools had become very small and infrequent. I felt that my gut flora had been adversely affected. After researching, I discovered that the cryptolepis can upset the ecological balance in the gut. I stopped the treatment, and babesia symptoms have not returned.
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As It Turns Out Everything Weve Been Told About Lyme Disease Is Wrong
Conventional wisdom states that Lyme disease results from being bitten by a deer tick infected with a certain strain of bacteria, called Borrelia burgdorferi. This tick must remain attached to its host for at least 36 hours. If symptoms common to Lyme disease begin to manifest, a blood test will be ordered to confirm diagnosis. If these test reveal B. burgdorferi antibodies, the patient is prescribed a 10 14 day course of antibiotics, typically doxycycline. During this period, the antibiotics kill the infectious bacteria, and order is restored.
According to Stephen Harrod Buhner, an expert in the fields of herbal medicine and infectious disease, the validity of each sentence from the above paragraph ranges somewhere between incomplete and erroneous.
You may have already developed a healthy skepticism for Western medicines grasp of this havoc-wreaking disease. Lyme disease runs rampant along the Appalachian Trail many of our own have contracted the infection during their journeys. Some have struggled with getting a proper diagnosis, some have struggled with the efficacy of treatment, and more often, both is the case. I have talked to countless others whove offered a similar story.
This map largely under represents those infected by Lyme disease, according to Buhner.
I caught up with Buhner to learn more about why Western medicine misses the mark on Lyme disease and what those suffering from the illness can do to regain their health.
I had several goals in this:
Hen Buhner Vs The Lyme Conventional Wisdom
You can approach treating Lyme Disease in two basic ways. First, you can look at it purely as a science. Or, you can look at it as partly a science and partly an art.
The conventional wisdom says go strictly with science. Over the past few decades since Lyme hit the map, Western medicine has developed treatment strategies that for the most part fit the disease into its existing paradigm.
It goes something like this. Weve discovered Lyme is a bacterial infection. We test for it. If the test is positive, we throw antibiotics at it.
This works great for some people, but it doesnt work very well for a lot of other people.
Enter Stephen Buhner, master herbalist and author. He is far from the only proponent of the science plus art approach, but no one has done more to champion it.
Among his books are two editions of Healing Lyme, plus two books on treating coinfections associated with Lyme. If you read these works carefully, youll clearly see how different his way of treating Lyme is from the conventional wisdom.
Its not that Buhner isnt scientific. He worked from 1980 to 2005 as a clinical herbalist and psychotherapist and also has treated many Lyme patients since. In Healing Lyme, Second Edition, he says that he has had contact with more than 25,000 people with Lyme and has read more than 10,000 peer-reviewed papers on Lyme.
But, for the sake of comparison, heres how I see the main differences between Buhner and the conventional Lyme wisdom.
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He Cares About Affordability Of Treatment For Lyme Patients
I strongly suggest, if you have any inclination at all to do so, you make your own herbal medicines. There are a number of reasons for this the most obvious is cost: making your own will lower your cost significantly. Although herbal medicines are extremely inexpensive compared to pharmaceuticals , treating a long-term, chronic condition can be expensive, especially if you buy them already prepared. This has become especially true as the FDA has begun to exert more control over herbal medicines via the good manufacturing practices act, aka the GMP . Making it worse, the larger herbal companies are beginning to consolidate their control over the marketplace . Those shifts are causing price increases in nearly every area.Stephen Buhner, Healing Lyme 2nd Edition, page 334
No other Lyme treatment option involves common herbs you can forage or purchase dried, in bulk, and tincture yourself to save money.
Botanicals And Essential Oils
Botanical medicines are foundational interventions in the functional medicine approach to Lyme disease. There are many botanical protocols available for Lyme disease however, it can be confusing trying to determine which protocol and products to use. At CCFM, we have extensive experience using botanical protocols for Lyme and can create a protocol that is customized to your specific needs. Some of the botanical protocols and companies we use for the botanical treatment of Lyme include the Buhner Protocol, Byron White Formulas, Beyond Balance, and Nutramedix.
Herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner, a pioneer in the use of botanical medicines for Lyme disease, has developed a botanical protocol that we use with many of our Lyme patients at CCFM. The protocol is centered around several keystone herbs, including Japanese Knotweed, Cats Claw, and Andrographis. Botanicals that can be added to the core protocol, based on the patients needs, include Astragalus and Smilax Buhner recommends Astragalus as a preventative measure for those who live in Lyme endemic areas. You can learn more about Stephens protocol in his book Healing Lyme: Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections.
Some of the botanicals with anti-Borrelia activity include:
- Cryptolepis sanguinolenta
- Cinnamon bark essential oil
- Clove essential oil
Certain essential oils also demonstrate anti-Borrelia activity 3, including:
Antibiotics
Disulfiram
Dapsone
Methylene Blue
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Buhner Protocol For Lyme Disease
Healing Lyme – Buhners protocol Lyme disease book – examines the leading, scientific research on Lyme infection and its tests and treatments, and outlines the most potent natural medicines that offer help, either alone or in combination with antibiotics, for preventing and healing the disease. The book has been a bestseller for over a decade
Buhner protocol for Lyme disease is a herbal protocol with a three pronged approach:
1. Kill bB – in both spirochete and cyst forms
2. Boost immune function to recognize and fight the intruder – bB
3. Minimize symptoms caused by bB
The protocol includes a combination of Cats claw, Japanese Knotweed, Astragalus and Sarsaparilis. Many people will experience “herxing” or a reaction to the killing of the Lyme & other infections. To address other co-infections, you would need to address his books for further information. He offers a variety of info so that you are able to self-treat.
Visit Buhner site for more information on protocols, co-infection protocols, new bite protocols, etc
Reducing Specific Symptoms In Order Of Severity
You’ll want to think about which herbs you can take that specifically will help the most severe symptoms you are experiencing. These will differ for each person, however there are certain supplements that can be taken by all such as tryptophan, since levels tend to fall during infection and it can help repair CNS damage as well as help to restore healthy T-cell functions.
Lyme disease always occurs with co-infections, so those will have to be identified and treated as well.
Some of the symptoms you may be addressing will be things like, pain, sleep issues, low energy, Bell’s palsy, seizures, tremors, memory problems, joint problems, behavioral problems, etc.
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He Empowers Lyme Sufferers With The Tools They Need To Help Themselves Heal
I have been told by a number of clinicians herbal, naturopathic, and medical that the majority of people with Lyme and/or its coinfections are too uneducated to understand this series of books, and that they are not intelligent enough to determine which herbs to use and which herbs not to use , that people with this group of diseases cannot in fact be trusted to be in charge of their own health and journey to wellness, and that I am remiss, even foolish in supporting members of the Lyme community in their self-empowerment.
Thus, while it can help to have a sophisticated clinician to aid in the journey to wellness, it is not always necessary. Further, the truth is, for many people, finding such a person is sometimes impossible, hence taking charge of their own journey to wellness is the only option. That is most likely why the Lyme community is as potently informed as it is .
Books By Respected Herbalist Stephen Buhner
A wealth of scientific knowledge about the nature of Lyme disease, coinfections, and how to help your body heal from the diseases and alleviate symptoms herbally.
Stephen has a new website that answers so many questions about his prvious books and the chinese herbs are all available here at a discount: Buhnner Protocol
Any person serious about beating Lyme out of their system need to read this book and follow the protocol carefully! If too many herbs are taken too fast, severe GI problems can occur, so PLEASE follow Mr. Buhners instructions very carefully!
This protocol involves many hundreds of capsules over nine months. The recommended manufactured products are listed below, however, click below to find all herbs in highest quality available and bulk form to save significantly on this protocol. The same company has other herbs and tinctures that are very helpful with fighting Lyme.
The protocol requires the following: SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HERBS.
Books by Stephen Buhner Planetary FormulasAndrographis Paniculata The first herb in the Buhner protocol a potent anti-viral as well as anti-bacterial.
Raintree Cats Claw A powerful herb to boost the immune system, specifically the CD-57, implicated in Lyme disease
Resveratrol Believed to be the Fountain of Youth by many due to its remarkable healing properties.
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He Helps Lyme Doctors And Patients Understand How The Disease Works
This book is written for very different readers, whose informational needs are also different: practitioners who treat Lyme and patients who have Lyme. Happily, he has organized this book into sections that will allow these readers to pick and choose which sections will most meet their needs. Despite the technical nature of some of these chapters, I would encourage all readers to plow into them anyway it is not necessary to grasp the fine points to appreciate what these microbes are doing to us and with us.Dr. Neil Nathan, MD, Healing Lyme 2nd Edition, foreward
Feeling Worse Before Feeling Better
I suffered immensely during the first months of treatment. My body was fighting an active infection while dealing with the heavy burden of toxins released by pathogens as they were dying off. This is not an easy thing to go through. This is known as a JarischHerxheimer Reaction. Commonly referred to as a herx. It is the bodys reaction to endotoxins that are released during the death of harmful microorganisms. Also known as a die-off reaction, it can be very intense. It can produce fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, intestinal upset, dizziness, sore throat, ear pain, tooth pain, sweating, emotional upset and many other adverse symptoms. It is short-lasting and resolves once the toxins have been cleared from the body. You can read about my strategies for dealing with die-off here.
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About Stephen Harrod Buhner
Stephen Harrod Buhner is the award-winning, best-selling author of 24 books including The Lost Language of Plants, a BBC Environmental Book of the Year. Stephen is a polymath and autodidact, an independent scholar, a Fellow of Schumacher College, and the senior researcher for the Foundation for Gaian Studies. He has taught and written extensively the past four decades on the ecology of Gaian planetary systems, the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, viral pandemics, the dangers of pharmaceuticals in the environment, as well as producing a number of leading-edge clinical texts on the use of plant medicines in the treatment of resistant infections and chronic disease. Stephen also worked for many years as psychotherapist, studying with such luminaries as Elizabeth Kubler Ross and a number of the countrys preeminent transactional analysis therapists. He is considered one of the preeminent medical herbalists in the United States. Stephen lives in Silver City, NM. You can read more about him at stephenharrodbuhner.com.
He Covers Antibiotic Treatment For Lyme
Please note:These protocols are designed to be used along with antibiotics if you wish to do so. I dont think you necessarily have to give up either pharmaceuticals or natural medicines to find health. However, if you have tried antibiotics and they have failed to help you, the protocols in this book can be used, effectively, all by themselvesStephen Buhner, Healing Lyme 2nd Edition, page 3Pharmaceutical TreamentI admit to bias. In general I am not a fan of antibiotics, and I have written about their overuse and antibiotic-resistance problems in a number of my books, in most detail in Herbal Antibiotics, second edition, and The Lost Language of Plants. Antibiotics, like many pharmaceuticals, are terribly overused in the United States, and despite what advertisers say, our health as a nation is not the better for it. We are far down on the list of the industrialized nations in both life expectancy and our quality of life. Antibiotic resistance among some very dangerous organisms is a growing problem because of antibiotic overuse. And despite regular alterts from such organizations as the CDC, nothing seems to be able to slow that use in either hospitals or among physicians.
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He Acknowledges That Other Herbs And Therapies Can Help Too And That People Will Likely Need To Add To Or Subtract From His Protocols
Also, a note:The herbs and supplements in this book are not the only ones in the world that will help. Use the protocols outlined herein only as a starting place, a guideline. Add anything you feel will help you and delete anything that you feel is not useful. Microorganisms, when they enter a human body, find a very unique ecosystem in that particular person. Thus the disease is always slightly different every time it occurs. That means that a pharmaceutical or herb that works for one person may not work or work as well for another. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for these particular organisms. Againthere is no one-size-fits-all treatment for Lyme or any of its coinfections.
Anyone who says there is, is either trying to sell you something or doesnt really understand this group of infectious organisms. There is no one way to health such that in all times and all places and with all people it will always work. Life, and disease, and the journey to wellness are much more complex and sophisticated than that. So, trust your own feeling sense and pay attention to what your body is telling you. You are the best judge of whether something is working for you or not, whether you need to add something else or not, whether you are getting betteror not.Stephen Buhner, Healing Lyme 2nd Edition, page 3
