Radio Naturopath Episode 455: Lyme and Bartonella and the Long Haul

This week, we talked about the long haul and Lyme disease. The idea is that you have to treat for a long time, some say at least a year, and definitely until you have been symptom free for 2 months. Treating for that long can be WEARING, but to successfully treat this sticky, insidious, difficult illness requires tenacity! It is understandable that people get treatment fatigue. To do it right, especially if you're trying to avoid or minimize the use of antibiotics, it seems you have to take a lot of stuff! But I'm going to stick it out until I figure it out, and hopefully can get back to riding my bike when I want, however I want. Not to mention enjoying the rest of my life!

Radio Naturopath Episode 444: CNPA Conference 2024: Crohns/UC, Cancer, Ticks, Herbs for Heart Health

This week, I am fresh from the Connecticut Naturopathic Phyiscians Association conference. So much to learn! I did a redux of the first few talks. We started with inflammatory bowel disease, moved on to natural treatment of cancer, then tick borne illness, then a great talk about herbs for cardiovascular disease. I am so grateful to my colleagues for putting together such helpful, informative talks!

Radio Naturopath Episode 432: Lyme/Bartonella and Antibiotics, Natural Help for That Winter Cold

This week I talked about how I went to The Dark Side, and added an antibiotic to my Lyme/Bartonella protocol. I wanted to go after the active organisms that were nagging at me and giving me more tremors. I am continuing to take my Buhner herbs and modified citrus pectin, and added saccharomyces boulardii for extra protection. So far so good! Somewhat less tremors and better mood. I still don't feel done but I understand this is a long haul. 

Ron has a cold, and so far I don't! I thought it was timely to discuss how to prevent and treat colds. The usual: rest, nutrition, hydration, Epsom salt baths, herbs and vitamins, neti pot, nasal spray, gargle, the Wet Sock Treatment and throat compress. Do less stuff and take it easy!

Radio Naturopath Episode 427: Treating Lyme and Coinfections with Buhner Herbs; Sarcopenia

Today I talked about focusing on treating Lyme disease with herbs using the Buhner protocol. Stephen Buhner was instrumental in elaborating specific herbs that work on different issues with tick borne illness. Some of the herbs support immunity; some are antimicrobial; some are nutritive; some are antioxidant and neuroprotective. These herbs tend not to upset the digestive system the way that antibiotics do. They also tend not to produce or maintain persister cells, that is Lyme cells that are able to evade the immune system using biofilm proteins or round/encysted forms. It takes a lot of herbs but in my experience it's worth doing! We also managed to start next week's topic of sarcopenia, losing muscle mass past age 50. We'll elaborate more on that next week. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 424: Sleep and Melatonin, Collagen and Joints, More LymeBytes

This week, I talked about how the best time to go to sleep is when your cortisol is lowest and your melatonin is highest, which for most people is somewhere between 8 and 11 pm, depending on when you get up and your genetics. If you go to bed too late, your cortisol is starting to rise and melatonin is starting to drop and it's harder to fall and stay asleep! I also talked about how collagen and natural anti-inflammatories are beneficial for joint and disc repair. Then I continued to review and give information gleaned from the LymeBytes conference. I'll do that for one more week and then we'll move on!

Radio Naturopath Episode 395: Chronic Illness in Kids, Fascial Trauma, Lyme & COVID-19, PANS-PANDAS

This week, we talked some more about the amazing info I got at the CNPA conference. There is so much information it's going to take at least 3 or 4 shows to fit it all in! Debby Hamilton, M.D. talked about how the pesticide glyphosate can affect young nervous systems, as can electromagnetic fields. There was a great talk about how trauma can be held in our fascia, our connective tissue, and how to release it. Then Myriah Hinchey, N.D., who is expert in tick born illnesses, talked about the similarities between inflammation in COVID-19 and Lyme. Lindsay Wells talked about treating PANS and PANDAS, psychiatric syndromes usually in children that can follow infections with staphylococcus or streptococcal bacteria.  More to follow next week!

Radio Naturopath Episode 352: LymeBytes 2022 Conference Review: All About Tick Borne Illness

Last Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22, 2022, was the first LymeBytes conference at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. It was a very informative conference with many speakers and lots of information! I learned about antimicrobials to fight Lyme and other tick borne illnesses. We talked about antibiotics, herbs like cryptolepis and cat's claw, and how mold can complicate tick borne illness. We talked about lots of therapeutics, but also the importance of simple healthy living and eating, and resting! Lyme and tick borne illness won't stay in a body that is very healthy.