Holistic Treatment Options For Chronic Lyme Disease
While oral antibiotics work fairly well for the early Lyme disease infection, the treatment for chronic lyme disease requires a comprehensive and individualized approach.
Fortunately, we have a lot of experience treating this and are achieving great results. Some of the treatment options we have available include:
- Herbal therapy: We have read just about every Lyme disease book out there and countless research articles. We use different herbal protocols including the modified Cowden Protocol, Vital Plan, and Buhners Protocol.
- Homeopathy: There are certain homeopathic remedies that seem to be very effective especially in kids.
- Antibiotics:The effectiveness of long term antibiotics for Lyme disease is debatable. The doctors from the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society do recommend trying different antibiotics to see if symptoms improve. This is done carefully and only under medical supervision. The decision to add antibiotics into the treatment regimen will be an individual decision between you and your doctor.
- IV Therapy: We have been to multiple conferences that discuss the use of different IV therapies including IV Vitamin C for immune support. For some people IV therapy seemed to make the biggest difference.
Treating Lyme With Broad Spectrum Herbals Interview With Dr Lee Cowden
On this episode of HealthMade radio Dr. Michael Karlfeldt interviews Dr. William LeeCowden, MD. He is a board cert. Cardiologist and internist who developed a protocol for people in the early and late stages of Lyme disease, and to minimize the symptoms associated with Lyme disease. Cowdens protocol is also used in other chronic disease states. Dr. Cowdens protocol a holistic and multifaceted approach that have broad-spectrum action against bacteria, fungi, parasites, and even viruses and they are natural non-toxic anti-inflammatories that address the three forms of Lyme .
The Cowden protocol is a holistic, step-by-step, do-it-yourself Lyme disease treatment protocol developed by Dr. Lee Cowden, M.D. The protocol itself incorporates a multifaceted approach to treating chronic Lyme disease through powerful antimicrobials that work just as good, if not better, than doxycycline, by addressing the 3 anatomical forms of the Lyme bacteria , co-infections, detoxification support for the brain, nervous system, liver, kidneys, blood, and lymphatic system, immune modulation, heavy metal removal, krebs cycle support and energy support due to magnesium deficiency, biofilm dissolvers, and the removal of excess sulfur.
In this interview learn more about:
The interview closes with a discussion on whole body well being summarized in this portion of the Cowden Support Program.
More About Dr. Cowden
Learn More About Lyme Solutions!
HealthMade Team
What Happens After Symptoms Disappear
Our patients receive an ongoing maintenance program from us for the rest of their lives. By the time that they are fully functional again, weve known them for several months or, in the harder cases, several years. So, we usually have acquired a good idea of their genetic composition and their ability to withstand these things on their own. Hence, someone with a robust constitution may need only a basic multi-vitamin and some detox and supporting herbs.
On the other hand, a very fragile person might need other things to support them. I myself have genetic problems with my immune and detox systems, but Im doing fine with herbs. I am still taking selected herbs as well as some important immune supporting supplements and Ill never give them up! By taking care of myself, I can live a normal life.
In fact, I travel throughout Europe teaching about herbs. When I speak at conferences and other venues, I like to share patient cases. They are real life, allowing me to demonstrate what we are doing and how well its working. I give detailed information on what herbs I use and in what dosages. My mission, the reason why Im going around Europe, and now also the States, talking about herbs, is to teach other professionals how to help others in the same way.
So, what began as my own personal interest has become my lifes work.
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Samento Vs Cat’s Claw
If youre thinking of using samento to treat Lyme disease, its important to know the difference between samento and cats claw. Although they belong to the same species, the two remedies have a different chemical makeup.
Both samento and cats claw contain pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids , which are compounds said to stimulate immune function and help Lyme disease patients to recovery. However, unlike cats claw, samento does not contain a class of compounds called tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids . TOAs are believed to disrupt the function of the central nervous system and weaken the effects of POAs.
Heavy Metals And Chelation
Some sites discussed heavy metal toxicity, particularly due to mercury, as copathogenic with Lyme disease . Specifically, Lyme disease was said to predispose to symptomatic mercury toxicity consequently, mercury chelation was a recommended adjunct to other treatments for Lyme disease. The interventions marketed for mercury toxicity included chemical chelators such as dimercaptosuccinic acid, 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid, alpha lipoic acid, and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid . Some herbal therapies such as garlic, cilantro, or chlorella were also said to be beneficial for heavy metal intoxication. In addition to chelation, some sources recommended the removal of all mercury-containing amalgam dental fillings and root canals as part of Lyme disease therapy . Some have suggested receiving future dental care only from biological dentists .
Bismuth and silver, in contrast to mercury, were heralded for their therapeutic rather than toxic properties. Silver is said to support the immune system as it attempts to kill off these bacterium . Silver kills lyme through oxidation first, then alkylation. Usually sold in colloidal form, silver particles are administered both orally and parenterally . Bismuth compounds were promoted for killing cyst forms of B. burgdorferi and are sometimes combined with EDTA to sequester additional substances .
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The Search For A Cure
The worst of it lasted about two years. After that, I was able to sit and walk a bit, but I still couldnt do much. I started searching for answers on the Internet and reading recommended books. I did everything I could think of: I healed my gut, I found many food intolerances, balanced my hormones, and supported my thyroid and adrenals.
Finally, I ran into the question of chronic infections. I ran tests on myself and confirmed my suspicion of having Lyme disease. It turns out I had loads of other infections, as well. That started me on the next step of my journey back to health: finding out how to treat these infections.
Initially, I was told that I had to treat it with antibiotics. This didnt sit well with me with how I think about life and how we should treat our bodies. But I eventually decided to try antibiotics, since that was the conventional procedure. ILADS is doing great work regarding Borrelia, and I tried the combination of antibiotics suggested by ILADS. But they were too hard on my gut. My system just couldnt handle them.
Antimicrobial Treatments For Lyme Disease
The conventional medical approach to Lyme disease treatment in adults is a ten to 21-day course of the antibiotic doxycycline.1 However, a growing body of research shows that this treatment is insufficient, if not completely ineffective, for cases of chronic Lyme disease. Functional medicine offers a far more comprehensive approach to the antimicrobial treatment of Lyme disease. Read on to learn about the types of antimicrobial treatment options available, and how they can be combined for optimal effect.
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Consult Your Healthcare Provider Before Using Natural Remedies
If youre curious about banderol, samento, or other herbal treatments, talk with your healthcare provider about whether to incorporate any of these remedies into your Lyme disease treatment plan. While it may be tempting to want to try it, improper treatment of Lyme disease can lead to serious complications such as joint problems and nervous system disorders, so self-treating with herbs isnt recommended.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that the side effects and risks of these herbs in regular or high doses aren’t known, nor is their safety in children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with other health conditions. Your healthcare provider can help you weigh the risks with the benefits.
Lyme Disease Doctor Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Nutritional And Herbal Therapy
A wide variety of dietary and nutritional interventions were marketed including conventional nutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin B12, commonly used supplements such as garlic and fish oil, as well as other herbal products such as turmeric, olive leaf, teasel root, cilantro, chlorella, sarsaparilla, andrographis, marijuana, cannabis oil, and cat’s claw . One combination, a salt/vitamin C protocol was marketed as a miracle cure for Lyme disease . A website advocated high dose methyl B12 and glutathione, given as self-administered injections for detoxification . The traditional East Asian remedy moxibustion was also advertised . Some sites marketed modified diets such as gluten restriction or high protein diets . One protocol recommended magnesium and water supplementation with oral serrapeptase, a protease derived from Serratia bacteria . In addition to serrapeptase, other enzymes have been advertised to treat patients with Lyme disease including the soybean-derived nattokinase and the earthworm-derived lumbrokinase .
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A New Way Of Health By Cowden Protocol
MITOBIOMEDICAL EXTRAORDINARY PRODUCTS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES
Nutramedix has made a significant investment to develop a novel, proprietary extraction and enhancement process used to manufacture its liquid extracts.
The result is a highly bio-available wholer plant, broad-spectrum extract that is also very cost effective. The were the first to introduce Samento, a rare chemo-type of Cat´s Claw, which has remained one of their signature products.
They have since developed a full line of liquid extracts utilizing the sameproprietary extraction and enhancement process.
Nutramexis also conducts extensive research to procure the very highest quality raw materialis for its powdered capsule products, many of which have been designed to enhance the effectiveness of the liquid extracts.
This Finnish Doctor Uses Herbs To Heal Lyme Disease And Co
It was the happiest moment of my life, to hold my twin babies for the first time. I am so glad that I didnt know what was ahead of me: that I would be bedridden and seriously ill for years. That I couldnt walk, play with my kids, or have the strength to sing to them. Even smiling at them would require all the energy I could muster.
Ever since I was six years old, I wanted to be a doctor. Everything about humans and human health interested me. My first dream was to be a brain surgeon, but when I was actually working as a surgeon, I realized that this wasnt quite what I wanted. I aspired to understand the whole human body, instead of settling for any single specialty. My thirst for knowledge drove me instead into looking at traditional Chinese medicine and then integrative medicine.
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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
Samento And Banderol: Uses And Research
Proponents of banderol and samento recommend them as alternatives to antibiotics, which are the standard treatments for Lyme disease. It’s said that these herbal remedies may help patients steer clear of the side effects sometimes associated with antibiotic use, such as gastrointestinal distress.
Supporters also say that banderol and samento aid in the treatment of Lyme disease by reducing chronic inflammation.
In addition, banderol and samento are sometimes used to control post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome . In people with PTLDS, symptoms linger long after they’ve completed a course of antibiotics. These symptoms include fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sleep disruption, and mood changes.
At this point, however, theres very little evidence to back up claims that banderol or samento can help treat Lyme disease. There is some research out there showing that a combination of samento and banderol may help knock out Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease. One study often pointed to, however, lacks rigorous peer review. Scientists have yet to confirm these findings or those of related research in clinical trials involving Lyme disease patients.
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Lyme Disease Treatment With Alternative Medicine In Winston
Spending time outside with your family, friends, and pets can be a fun way to get some fresh air and enjoy nature. Unfortunately, it is also an easy way to pick up an unwanted traveler on your clothes, gear, hair, and pets fur.
From backpacking in a national park to playing in the backyard, you can be exposed to ticks in bushy or wooded areas, especially during the warmer months from April through September in North Carolina
It is imperative to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to your skin because they can carry and transmit Lyme disease. When Lyme disease takes hold this can be a very challenging condition to treat, especially if there are co-infections, but the healthcare providers at Robinhood Integrative Health are very experienced in diagnosing and treating chronic lyme disease.
Sharing My Own Healing With Others
At last, after such a long period of professional inactivity, I began seeing patients again. As I encountered those who had the same problems that I had, I used the Cowden Protocol with them. Were still amazed at how well it works! Im glad that I was able to find a way to help my patients without having to use antibiotics.
Typically, patients dont have many positive test results at first. These usually appear after a short period of initial treatment. When you give patients herbs, their immune system starts fighting against the infection. Some patients are so sick when they first come to my office that their immune system is totally shut down and cant fight anything. In that situation, all results will be negative.
If their doctor doesnt know this and understand the underlying mechanisms, they will just look at the negative lab results and declare the patient healthy, when in fact these are the sickest cases needing the most help and support. That is why the diagnosis needs to be based on clinical picture and symptoms, not just lab results.
Of the symptoms, pain and fatigue are typically the worst part of being ill. We ask them to rate both between 0 and 10, with 10 being the worst imaginable. We do this at the beginning of treatment, and we then follow their self-assessments.
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Review Of The Medical Literature
Scientific studies supporting the efficacy of any of the treatments discussed above could not be found on review of the medical literature. Most of the cited treatments were never evaluated with any scientific study, although we did find that a few treatments were evaluated in studies that either were poorly designed or had unclear relevance to human disease.
Two studies are worth mentioning in more detail. A study of combination therapy with cholestyramine-atovaquone enrolled 25 patients with persistent symptoms after being diagnosed with and treated for babesiosis-Lyme disease coinfection . In this study, however, all patients received cholestyramine for the entirety of the trial, so no inferences could be made about its therapeutic efficacy.
The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on strains of B. burgdorferi was assessed both in vitro and in experimentally infected mice in one study . The investigators found that growth of the organism in vitro was inhibited by hyperbaric oxygen in 14 of 17 cultures. In addition, the organism was cultivable from the bladders of only 20% of mice treated with hyperbaric oxygen, compared with 90% of untreated mice. No study of this therapy in humans with Lyme disease has ever been published.
What Is Lyme Disease
The most common vector-borne disease in the United States is Lyme disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted to humans most often via the bite of infected tick.
The initial symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, and a skin rash. If antibiotics are given early it is possible to treat the infection. However, even with early treatment, many people will go on to develop chronic Lyme disease. Also contributing to the challenge is that up to 50% of people do not even remember being bit by a tick.
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Can You Recommenda Lyme Disease Specialist Or Private Clinic
Unfortunately, the NHS lacks Lyme disease specialists. One of the things we as a charity are hoping to see in the future is a Centre of Excellence for Lyme disease, where doctors from various disciplines see higher number of Lyme disease patients and start building up clinical experience.
On the NHS, Lyme patients in the UK are generally seen by their GP, and possibly referred to consultants in various disciplines ., depending on their overriding symptoms. If your GP needs help finding someone, he or she may wish to phone the National Reference Laboratory as their experts are well networked and may be the best positioned to suggest a suitable consultant.
Caudwell LymeCo is not able to recommend individual doctors who treat Lyme disease privately, nor doctors who use treatments outside those recommended by the NHS. This is because there is no way we can predict what the outcome will be for any patient. There is currently a completely unsatisfactory situation whereby we know that the so-called standard treatments fail to cure lots of patients, but we do not know what actually will cure them. Without this proof we would not be in a position to recommend any private specific clinic, doctor or treatment.