Lyme Disease

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness infectious disease transmitted to humans by a black-legged deer tick; these ticks may carry up to twenty diseases. It was first reported in 1975 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut in the United States. Thirty-nine children were diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and 12 adults were diagnosed of arthritis of an unknown cause.

Wilhelm Burgdorfer, a scientist who was studying Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, discovered the tick connection along with the bacterium, a spirochete, that causes Lyme. The tick becomes infected after feeding on infected mice or deer. The tick must be on the skin 24 to 48 hours to transmit the infection.

Wooded outdoor areas for camping and hiking are prime areas where these deer ticks can be found. Domestic animals let out to roam the woods may also carry ticks.

Two of the bacteria species that cause Lyme disease are Borrelia burgdoferi and Borrelia mayonii, and these are found in the United States. The other two bacteria species are Borrelia afzelii and Borelia garinii. and theses are found in Europe and Asia. There are five sub-species of Borrelia burgdorferi, and of these subspecies, there are more than 100 strains in the U.S. and 300 worldwide.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease occurs in three stages: early localized, early disseminated and late disseminated. Symptoms will depend on the different stages.

Stage 1: Early Localized Disease

Symptoms will begin to appear within one to two weeks of being bitten by the tick. One of the earliest signs is a bull’s-eye rash which means that the bacteria are multiplying rapidly in your bloodstream. The rash occurs at the tick-bite spot and is a red spot surrounded by a clear spot with red edges. It may be warm to touch but will disappear in about four weeks. The rash is called erythema migrans, and it is characteristic of Lyme; some people have a rash that is solid red, and others with olive tone skin may have a rash that resembles a bruise.

Stage 2: Early Disseminated Lyme Disease

This stage of the disease happens several weeks after the bite. Bacteria is spreading throughout the body, and many people begin to have flu-like symptoms:

  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Enlarged lymph nodes
  • Sore throat
  • Vision changes
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle aches
  • Headaches

There may be rashes appearing in other areas of the body. Neurological signs of Bell’s Palsy or numbness and tingling may occur. Meningitis or the cardio conduction system may also be affected at this stage.

Stage 3: Late Disseminated Lyme Disease or Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)

When the disease has progressed and not been treated in the earlier stages, then symptoms of congestive heart failure may occur because the disease spreads to the nervous system, heart and joints:

  • Severe headaches
  • Arthritis
  • Heart rhythm disturbances
  • Brain disorders involving memory, mood and sleep
  • Short-term memory loss
  • Focus and concentration difficulties
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Brain fog
  • Speech conversation issues
  • Numbness in extremities (arms, legs, hands and/or feet)
  • Loss of motor coordination
  • Severe muscle spasms
  • Meningitis
  • Intermittent paralysis
  • Sensory processing issues
  • Vision processing issues
  • Auditory processing issues

Lyme Co-Infections

Co-infections are extremely common in Lyme disease and can cause consternation in treatment because as one infection is diminished, a co-infection takes over, leading to “whack-a-mole” and a recurrence of symptoms or emergence of new symptoms. These co-infections are important to consider and test for when testing for Lyme. Some possible co-infections include:

  • Roundworms
  • Tapeworms
  • Threadworms
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Giardia
  • Amoebas
  • Clostridia
  • Parvovirus B19
  • Active measles (in the small intestine)
  • Herpetic viruses such as:
    • Epstein-Barr virus
    • Human Herpes Virus #6
    • Cytomegalovirus
    • Shingles
  • Leptospirosis
  • Pneumonia
  • Coxsackie virus
  • Chronic strep infections and their mutations
  • Babesia
  • Brucella
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Bartonella
  • Mycoplasma
  • Rickettsia
  • Bartonella
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Babesia

Babesia is a piroplasm parasite rather than an infection and can be passed on from a mother to an unborn child or through blood transfusions. Blood banks do not screen for the presence of Babesia. Cucurmin is anti-inflammatory with antimalaria compounds and can help attenuate Babesia symptoms such as:

  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Hip pain
  • Chest pain
  • Muscle aching
  • Excessive sweating (night sweats)

Bartonella

Bartonella is a form of bacteria that lives within the blood vessel linings of the body. The bacteria move through red blood cells, making it difficult to destroy; consequently patients suffer from relapse of symptoms such as:

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Problems with appetite
  • Strange rash like stretch marks
  • Lymph nodes may swell
  • Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety

Ehrlichia

Ehrlichia is a general term to describe a host of bacterial diseases including anaplasmosis. Symptoms are similar:

  • Headaches
  • Muscle aches
  • High fever
  • Fatigue
  • Severe conditions:
    • Low platelet count
    • Anemia
    • Kidney failure

Mycoplasma

These are very tiny bacteria – 4,000 of them can fit within a single red blood cell. Mycoplasma infection is one of the primary causes of rheumatoid arthritis. They can cause pneumonia and have been linked to:

Mycoplasma often provoke autoimmune issues and can be linked to magnesium deficiency. Symptoms of infection can include:

  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

This tick-borne infection is caused by an interaction with the bacterium Rickettsia; the illness can be spread through the bite of various infected tick species including the Rocky Mountain wood tick. Symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Vomiting
  • Conjunctival injection
  • Lack of appetite
  • Abdominal pain

This fever can be fatal if not treated within the initial few days of symptoms. These patients do not do well with sulfa drugs.

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)

Up to 95% of the world population may be infected with EBV – a virus found within the herpes family. EBV uses DNA methylation to hide from the immune system and stays within the resting memory B cells. B cells change with the immune system, protecting the virus and allowing it to proliferate without being detected. Symptoms can include:

  • Spleen enlargement
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Sore throat
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Possible jaundice

Human Herpes Virus-6 (HHV-6)

HHV-6 is a herpes virus discovered in the mid-80s and is active in almost all Lyme disease patients. Even though HHV-6 is a co-infection, it is really an opportunistic virus waiting to strike. Symptoms can include:

  • Fatigue
  • Neurological symptoms
  • Concentration issues
  • Memory issues
  • Possible connection to cancer through protein P53

What Your Doctor May Tell You About Lyme Disease

Your child’s doctor will probably want to know the specific symptoms your child has experienced and your child’s complete medical history. Some doctors may not even consider Lyme disease or will misdiagnose it; this is a very common scenario. If your child has autism, PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) or PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), it is most likely your doctor will not consider Lyme disease as comorbid with these diagnoses.

Typical Western Medicine Treatment of Lyme Disease

Your child’s doctor may typically address your child’s behavioral and emotional symptoms with psychotropic pharmaceuticals such as anti-depressants. However, anti-depressants typically have a “black box” warning against these medications by children because they can increase the risk of more aggressive behavior and suicide ideation.

More forward-thinking Western medical doctors now understand that PANS and Lyme disease are typically caused by a pathogenic infection and/or acute environmental toxic assault. To that end, typical treatments include:

Antibiotics

Antibiotics must often be given over several weeks or months to see improvement. Many children require multiple rounds of antibiotics, and some stay on antibiotics prophylactically for years. However, recent research has shown that antibiotics severely alter, often permanently, the microbiome in the gut, which is where most of the body’s immune system is.

In essence, giving antibiotics may “win the battle, but lose the war” because they can alter the body’s immune function and often cause an overgrowth of fungus, such as from Candida albicans. In addition, antibiotics only work against bacterial infection, so they won’t help in the case of viral, parastic or fungal infection as well as environmental toxic assault.

Steroids and NSAIDs

Both steroids and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) have been documented to reduce symptoms in children with Lyme disease, which is a clue that inflammation is part of what’s behind the child’ symptoms. However, long-term use of either of these kinds of pharmaceuticals is hard on the body and can cause strain on the liver’s detoxification process as well as lead to nutritional deficiencies, thereby potentially leading to additional symptoms further on down the road. In addition, steroids can disrupt the microbiome in the gut, which can lead to more symptoms later on.

Testing for Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease Specific Testing

If your doctor considers Lyme disease, they will likely use a common medical blood test that checks the antibodies to whatever Lyme disease bacteria your child has. The Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) is recommended by most doctors for Lyme disease, and the Western Blot antibody test is also given to confirm the results of the ELISA.

Your child may have to do other tests such as an MRI, EKG or spinal tap, depending on the areas affected by the Lyme disease. Conventional lab tests are not always reliable, however; for a more accurate lab test, consider the test from I-Genex Labs.

It is important to note that titers are NOT always indicative of an infection.

Titers are often only moderately elevated, or not elevated at all in some children with Lyme disease. Because lab tests are not always reliable, the diagnosis of Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis. This means that your healthcare provider may base his or her diagnosis on your child’s history and symptoms.

PANS Specific Testing

Because PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is the broader umbrella under which Lyme disease falls, additional testing may need to be done to check for:

  • PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections)
  • Specific viruses, especially herpetic viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and herpes simplex viruses
  • Pathogenic bacterial infection, such as Staphylococcus aureus
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
  • Influenza infection
  • Heavy metals and other toxins
  • Mold toxicity with a test from Mycometrics: mold-toxicity and Lyme symptoms are often the same. However, it is possible and common that a person with Lyme disease also has mold toxicity.

Please remember that is quite possible, and often common, for a child to have multiple infections simultaneously, so it is a good idea to test for all of the above triggers before deciding on a course of action.

Another Way to Think About Lyme Disease

Maternal Inheritance

Many cases of Lyme-induced Autism Spectrum Disorders and Lyme-induced PANDAS and PANS are occurring because a whole generation of women have been misdiagnosed with other autoimmune conditions instead of Lyme and are passing the infection on to their children in utero and during childbirth. Umbilical cords, placenta, fetuses and newborn infants have been found to have the same pathogens and co-infections causing Lyme.

Here are some of the overlapping symptoms of babies and children with Lyme, autism, PANDAS and PANS:

Lyme in these children can make them more fragile and vulnerable to environmental triggers such as injury or reactions to toxic exposures, environmental exposures (EMF smog) and co-infections. If your child has Lyme disease, we recommend that the child’s mother be tested for it as well.

Autoimmune Disorder

Lyme disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by an inflammatory infection. The strength of a person’s immune system is the most important factor in fighting this disease. The stronger the immune system, the more successful the battle. According to Columbia University Medical Center, not everyone who tests positive for the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria will experience symptoms of Lyme; infection depends on the strength of the immune system. Even the worst infections may not test positive for Borrelia burgdorferi; it might take the first treatment to show positive for Lyme. This is known as the “Lyme paradox”.

Ticks can transfer numerous diseases through co-infections. Sixty percent of ticks carry more than one disease-causing pathogen. Testing for co-infections is not always reliable, and therefore, an evaluation of symptoms and patient histories can help with diagnoses. Each pathogen transmitted through a tick bite develops its own set of unique features and symptoms.

It’s important to understand the unique complexities of each infection found with Lyme disease to know which co-infection might be present. Ticks host hundreds of different microbes and co-infections are a strong possibility. This is the reason why Lyme disease is so difficult to treat because of the potential for co-infection. A survey of over 3,000 patients with chronic Lyme disease found that more than 50% were affected by co-infections and at least 30% suffering from two or more infections.

Co-infections are the reason why some people remain chronically ill even after being treated for Lyme disease.

Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is extremely high with Borrelia burgdorferi and co-infection microbes; the longer the bacteria remain, the more resistant they become. Antibiotics destroy the microbiome, which are the intestinal flora that strengthen the immune system. Antibiotics in general kill both the bad bacteria and the good bacteria, thereby suppressing the immune system. Antibiotics increase infections from Candida and other fungi, reducing immune function and increasing antibiotic-resistant infection.

A recent study concluded that at least one-third of pediatric antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary and that antibiotics are responsible for about 70,000 visits to the emergency room by kids in the United States.

Immune-System Strengthening

Lyme disease cannot not be treated successfully without strengthening the immune system. Borrelia burgdorferi can exist in biofilms, microbial colonies that can withstand antibiotics and the immune system – a sort of “blanket” for Lyme disease to hide behind. Microbes cycle between cell wall and cystic forms, often clumping together and hiding behind biofilms so they do not get detoxed out of the body naturally.

When looking for a practitioner, find one who is a Lyme specialist that focuses on strengthening the immune system, understands co-infections and biofilm and treats the patient, not the disease. For help in finding such a practitioner, consider our practitioner directory.

Lyme Disease Healing Checklist

Lyme disease gameplan:

Find a practitioner that can help your child heal the gut microbiome, rebuild and strengthen the immune system, and address nutritional deficiencies.

We advise caution on seeking out “Lyme-literate” doctors who use antibiotics to treat Lyme because antibiotics may improve symptoms in the short term while destroying beneficial bacteria that are necessary for long-term immune function; many Lyme-literate doctors have their patients on courses of antibiotics for years at a time.

Instead, we recommend working with a practitioner that treats the whole child to:

    Prevent tick infestation:

    • Wear light color clothing with long sleeves in high-risk areas
    • Tuck your pants into your socks to keep ticks from crawling up your legs
    • When walking in wooded or grassy areas where ticks live, use a natural tick repellant on your clothing and exposed skin
    • Stay on the trail when hiking by walking in the center of trails to avoid high grass
    • Change your clothes after walking or hiking as soon as you get home
    • Wash yourself and always do complete self-checking when checking for ticks by thoroughly examining the skin and scalp
    • Don’t forget to check your pets for ticks
    • Always wear protective clothing
    • Maintain your lawn by keeping the grass short and make sure you dry your wood pile
    • Replace deer-friendly plants on your property

    Essential oils that repel ticks:

    • Rose-geranium oil is highly effective at deterring ticks. Combine equal parts rose-geranium oil and coconut oil and apply regularly to your arms, neck, waist and ankles.
    • Lemon eucalyptus oil can be as effective as DEET in preventing both mosquito and tick bites. Mix 30 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil with 4 ounces of witch hazel or apple cider vinegar or vodka.
    • Citronella and eucalyptus oils along with oils of lavender, juniper, oregano and clove also are effective at repelling ticks but need to be applied more frequently than a chemical repellant. Combine the oils with equal parts of water or alcohol, shake and apply.

    Make Lifestyle Changes

    • Get a good night's sleep
    • Get outside every day
    • Get an hour of exercise or movement per day
    • Sync circadian rhythm by getting up when the sun does and going to bed after it sets
    • Limit screen time as much as possible
    • Use blue-blocking lightbulbs and glasses at night, especially when looking at screens
    • Put bare feet in wet ground when possible
    • Drink half body weight in ounces of water

    Eat a Clean Diet

    Use Only High-Quality Fats

    • Coconut oil
    • Olive oil (unheated)
    • Avocados
    • Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT) oil
    • Grass-fed ghee
    • Duck fat
    • Grass-fed beef tallow
    • Cod liver oil (unheated)
    • Walnut oil (unheated)

    Remove Vegetable Oils and Trans Fats

    • Canola
    • Corn
    • Soy
    • Safflower
    • Sunflower
    • Hydrogenated vegetable oils (Crisco, etc.)
    • Margarine

    Include High-Quality Protein with Every Meal

    • Pasture-raised eggs, chicken and other fowl
    • Grass-fed beef, lamb and other red meats
    • Wild-caught fish
    • Legumes
    • Nuts

    Eliminate High-Glutamate Foods

    These foods and ingredients can exacerbate neurological symptoms because of the excitoxicity they cause in the brain. These are some of the most-common, high-glutamate foods to remove:

    • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
    • Soy protein isolate
    • Yeast extract
    • Gelatin
    • Barley malt
    • Bouillon
    • Natural flavors
    • Artificial flavors
    • Soy sauce
    • Corn starch
    • Others

    Add Fermented Foods and Probiotics

    These will keep the gastrointestinal system and microbiome healthy and strong which in turn will keep the immune system strong.

    • Eat kefir yogurts, if dairy is tolerated
    • Eat fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and kim chi
    • Eat umeboshi plums, which are very alkalizing
    • Eat miso soup, if soy is tolerated
    • Take a quality probiotic, such as VSL #3, Gut Pro, Dr. Ohirra’s Live Cultured Probiotics, Garden of Life, Klaire Labs. Work with your practitioner for a more targeted probiotic.

    Optimize Blood Sugar

    Blood sugar that is too high can lead to excess inflammation and hormonal imbalances.

    Blood sugar that is too low can lead to attention and behavioral problems.

    We recommend keeping blood sugar optimized so that it's neither too low nor too high.

    Do an Elimination Diet

    Children with chronic health conditions often have hidden food sensitivities and intolerances that exacerbate their symptoms. With an elimination diet, remove potentially inflammatory foods such as:

    • Casein
    • Gluten
    • Soy
    • Corn
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Shellfish
    • Nuts
    • Peanuts

    Clean up Your Environment

    • Identify and remove possible environmental triggers, such as mold, dust, pet dander, and electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
    • Identify and remove possible toxic exposures in the home from purchased products, such as detergents, soaps, lotions, and other cleaning and personal care products
    • Remove animals (both live and stuffed!)
    • Remove carpets
    • Use non-toxic cleaners
    • Use non-toxic building materials

    Lower Stress Levels

    Viruses, bacteria and other pathogens become more active when the body is in a state of stress.

    By teaching your child ways to self-regulate with practices such as prayer, reiki, meditation, yoga, qi gong, tai chi and the Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping), they can become good advocates for themselves and become active participants in the recovery process.

    Practitioners of techniques such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Retraining) and jin shin jyutsu can lower stress levels for your child, as well.

    See a Homeopath, Naturopath or Homotoxicologist

    These practitioners can diagnose and treat gastrointestinal disorders naturally so that the child’s immune, sensory, neurological and nervous systems develop without being compromised.

    Ask Your Practitioner to Run Some Laboratory Tests

    • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for possible food sensitivities and allergies
    • Nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin D
    • NutrEval by Genova Diagnostics Labs for malabsorption, gut dysbiosis, cellular energy, mitochondrial metabolism, neurotransmitter metabolism, vitamin deficiencies, toxin exposure and detoxification need
    • Organic Acid Test (OAT) for yeast overgrowth, other microbial infections and oxalates
    • Inflammation markers such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
    • Fasting blood sugar and insulin levels
    • Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA)

    Have Your Child Tested for PANS/PANDAS

    Pathogenic infections and environmental offenders can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause neurological symptoms known collectively as PANS/PANDAS. However, not many practitioners know how to test for and treat these conditions. Common tests are:

    • Serum Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) titer
    • Serum Anti-Streptococcal DNase B (ASDB) titer
    • Cunningham panel
    • Lyme disease and Lyme co-infections
    • Specific viruses, especially herpetic viruses
    • Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
    • Heavy metals and other toxins
    • Mold

    Use Digestive Aids with your Practitioner's Guidance

    • Betaine hydrochloric acid
    • Digestive enzymes with DPP-IV for gluten and casein intolerances
    • Proteolytic enzymes
    • BiCarb
    • Bromelain
    • Papaya

    Use Supplements with Your Practitioner's Guidance

    Always work with your practitioner to determine the brand, type and dosage of supplements. Common supplements include the following:

    • Cod liver oil
    • Probiotics
    • Vitamin D3
    • Methylated B complex vitamins
    • GABA, especially PharmaGABA
    • N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
    • Magnesium, zinc, selenium, iodine and other minerals
    • Others

    Help Your Child Detoxify

    • Make sure your child is pooping every day. Learn more about how to clear up constipation and diarrhea.
    • Have your child exercise or move every day. Sweating carries toxins out of the body.
    • See a homotoxicologist, naturopath or homeopath for drainage remedies and detoxification aids.
    • Optimize blood sugar to allow the liver to spend more time detoxing rather than processing sugar.
    • Ionic foot baths can help detox unwanted pathogens and are easy to do with children.
    • Infared saunas can detox heavy metals through the skin by sweating. However, this form of detoxification may not be suitable for young children who lack the ability to sweat.
    • Epsom salt baths add sulfur transdermally to help with detox.

    Integrate Retained Primitive Reflexes

    Most, if not all, children with neurodevelopmental disorders including learning disabilities, have retained primitive reflexes.

    Find a therapist that is trained in integrating primitive reflexes, which can cause imbalances in the way your child's brain performs.

    See a Chiropractic Neurologist

    Chiropractic neurology is patient focused and utilizes the latest assessment techniques to create an individualized protocol to rehabilitate the central nervous system and develop neuroplasticity (changes in the brain) when addressing neurological conditions.

    Children with developmental delays, cognitive issues and deficits have improper communication between the right and left sides of the brain.

    See a Behavioral/Developmental Optometrist

    A developmental optometrist can check for convergence and tracking problems with your child's vision. He or she can correct these issues with vision therapy, lens and prisms. Doing so can improve hand-eye coordination and school performance.

    See a Craniosacral Practitioner

    Craniosacral therapy can reestablish central nervous system functioning. These practitioners use approaches rich in vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile input and may also do oral motor therapy.

    See a Neurofeedback Practitioner

    Neurofeedback is approved as a level-one intervention by the American Academy of Pediatrics for ADD and ADHD, which are learning disabilities.

    Even if your child doesn't have ADD or ADHD, they may still benefit from neurofeedback.

    Find a practitioner that can perform a QEEG (quantitative electroencephalograph) brain map first so you can understand how your child's brain works.

    See a Sensory-Integration Occupational Therapist

    These occupational therapists address a variety of sensory issues with a child using hands-on equipment. This type of therapy calms down the nervous system to help integrate the senses and retained reflexes.

    See a Chiropractor

    A chiropractor can perform spinal cord adjustments, which can improve communication in the nervous system.

    See an Auditory Therapist

    Many children with learning disabilities have auditory processing problems that may be causing problems with focus and concentration.

    An auditory therapist can devise a listening program that is specific to your child's needs. These programs can retrain the brain, calm down the nervous system and reduce sound sensitivities.

    Find a Brain Gym Practitioner

    A Brain Gym practitioner can have your child do exercises for sensorimotor coordination, self-calming and self-management.

    Work with a Health Coach

    Our Epidemic Answers health coaches are trained to understand the root causes of your child's chronic health condition.

    They provide hands-on helping with the practical matters of healing such as cooking healthy foods, removing toxins from the household and helping you work more efficiently with your practitioner.

    See an Acupuncturist

    Acupuncture can help lower stress and anxiety associated with sensory processing. It can also help with blood-sugar and hormonal regulation.

    See a NAET or BioSET Practitioner

    Children with chronic health conditions typically also have food allergies and/or food sensitivities and intolerances.

    NAET (Namudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique) and BioSET are two non-invasive methods of allergy elimination.

    Use Sensory Therapies and Tools

    Still Looking for Answers?

    Visit the Epidemic Answers Practitioner Directory to find a practitioner near you.

    Join us inside our online membership community for parents, Healing Together, where you’ll find even more healing resources, expert guidance, and a community to support you every step of your child’s healing journey.

    Sources & References

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    Brorson, O., et al. Grapefruit seed extract is a powerful in vitro agent against motile and cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Infection. 2007 Jun;35(3):206-8.

    Cantorna, M.T., et al. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol inhibits the progression of arthritis in murine models of human arthritis. J Nutr. 1998 Jan;128(1):68-72.

    Cantorna, M.T., et al. Vitamin A deficiency exacerbates murine Lyme arthritis. J Infect Dis. 1996 Oct;174(4):747-51.

    Feng, J., et al. Evaluation of Natural and Botanical Medicines for Activity Against Growing and Non-growing Forms of B. burgdorferi. Front. Med., 21 Feb 2020.

    Feng, J., et al. Identification of Essential Oils with Strong Activity against Stationary Phase Borrelia burgdorferi. Antibiotics (Basel). 2018 Oct 16;7(4):89.

    Feng, J., et al. Selective Essential Oils from Spice or Culinary Herbs Have High Activity against Stationary Phase and Biofilm Borrelia burgdorferi. Front Med (Lausanne). 2017 Oct 11;4:169.

    Ferreira Maya, M., et al. Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing. Malar J. 2011; 10(Suppl 1): S11. Published online 2011 Mar 15.

    Hutschenreuther, A., et al. Growth inhibiting activity of volatile oil from Cistus creticus L. against Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. in vitro. Pharmazie. 2010 Apr;65(4):290-5.

    Javid, A., et al. Hyperglycemia Impairs Neutrophil-Mediated Bacterial Clearance in Mice Infected with the Lyme Disease Pathogen. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 24;11(6):e0158019.

    Kepka, A., et al. Serum carnitine concentration is decreased in patients with Lyme borreliosis. Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2016 Mar 4;70:180-5.

    Lovegrove, M.C., et al. US Emergency Department Visits for Adverse Drug Events From Antibiotics in Children, 2011–2015. Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, piy066. 2018 Aug 23.

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    Offut, A., et al. Case report: Substantial improvement of autism spectrum disorder in a child with learning disabilities in conjunction with treatment for poly-microbial vector borne infections. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 18:14:1205545.

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    Theophilus, P.A., et al. Effectiveness of Stevia Rebaudiana Whole Leaf Extract Against the Various Morphological Forms of Borrelia Burgdorferi in Vitro. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp). 2015 Nov 12;5(4):268-80.

    Troxell, B., et al. Manganese and zinc regulate virulence determinants in Borrelia burgdorferi. Infect Immun. 2013 Aug;81(8):2743-52.

    Resources
    Books

    Buhner, Stephen Harrod. Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections: Complementary and Holistic Treatments for Bartonella and Mycoplasma. Healing Arts Press, 2013.

    Buhner, Stephen Harrod. Healing Lyme: Natural Healing of Lyme Borreliosis and the Coinfections Chlamydia and Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, 2nd Edition. Raven Press, 2015.

    Buhner, Stephen Harrod. Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections. Storey Publishing, 2013.

    Buhner, Stephen Harrod. Herbal Antibiotics, 2nd Edition: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-resistant Bacteria. Storey Publishing, 2012.

    Buhner, Stephen Harrod. Natural Treatments for Lyme Coinfections: Anaplasma, Babesia, and Ehrlichia. Healing Arts Press, 2015.

    Chutkin, Robin. The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out. Avery, 2016

    Ingels, Darin. The Lyme Solution: A 5-Part Plan to Fight the Inflammatory Auto-Immune Response and Beat Lyme Disease. Avery, 2019.

    Zhang, QingCai, et al. Lyme Disease and Modern Chinese Medicine. Sino-Med Research Institute, 2006.

    Websites

    Ampcoil for Lyme Disease

    Bill Rawls MD: How I Recovered from Fibromyalgia and Lyme

    Buhner Healing Lyme Q&A

    Center for Homeopathy: Treating Lyme Disease with Homeopathy

    Children’s Lyme Disease Network

    Cowden Support Program

    Dr. Cindee Gardner: Treating Lyme Disease Naturally & Effectively

    Dr. Jay Davidson: What’s the Connection Between Toxic Mold and Lyme Disease?

    Dr. Jay Davidson: Removing Parasites to Fix Lyme and Chronic Illnesses

    Gordon Crozier DO: How This Doctor Finally Diagnosed His Lyme Disease

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