food as medicine – Real Food Rebel

It’s Time to Take the Fear out of Chronic Lyme Disease

July 22, 2019 Brenda Cosentino

So you've got Chronic Lyme Disease? Your whole body aches and you feel weak, stiff and exhausted. Maybe you also have rashes, swollen painful joints, headaches, migraines, dizziness, sleep disturbances, cognitive decline, brain fog, sensitivity to light with fevers that come and … [Read more...]

Real Food Rebel Soup for Chronic Illness

January 22, 2019 Brenda Cosentino

This is the soup I ate for months on end when I was extremely sick. This and my daily green smoothie. My digestion was terrible and I couldn't handle any raw salads. My hair analysis revealed very low stomach acid and low minerals across the board. I wanted a nice soup/stew that … [Read more...]

4 Years of Lyme Disease Remission

November 10, 2018 Brenda Cosentino

It's true, I travel with a blender! Green smoothies are the ticket! I can't believe I am celebrating another year of Lyme Disease-free living. Prior to this, I had been chronically ill and medically disabled for over 20 years. I no longer suffer from Lyme Disease, Babesia, … [Read more...]

The Long Road Back! How I overcame 20 years of Chronic Illness Naturally!

By 2007, my health had reached an all-time low. I was given a chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia diagnosis. I was on heavy psychiatric medications for bipolar disorder, major anxiety, chronic migraines and post-traumatic stress disorder. Most days I relied on painkillers for my increasing levels of pain. By this time I had been sick for over fourteen […]

18 Months of Lyme Disease Recovery/Remission

I still have days where I can’t believe I am Lyme Disease free. I just returned from a one week backpacking trip to Palenque and San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. I climbed every single one of the ruins pictured above. It was a full 9 hour day of ruins, rivers, jungle treks, swimming […]

8 Years of Complete Lyme, CFS and Fibromyalgia Remission

I am happy to report another year of complete remission from all things Lyme and Co-infections since November, 2014. I keep getting older (60) but seem to improve more and more with each passing year. This is a miracle considering I was chronically ill for 20 years and physically disabled for over 10 years. You […]

6 Years of Complete Lyme, CFS and Fibromyalgia Remission

What a miracle to have had 6 years of great health after being chronically ill for over 20 years. It is possible to heal yourself by changing your diet, fixing your microbiome, detoxifying and making lifestyle changes. You can read about everything that I have done in this article to completely recover my health. A […]

Super Healthy Green Smoothie

This was the game-changer for me while fighting Lyme and Co-Infections, CFS/Fibro and 20 years of chronic illness. My hair tissue analysis revealed several minerals that were very low despite eating a conventional Paleo diet for the first few years. This is the most nutrient-dense breakfast that I have found so far. It is packed […]

Lyme Disease and Parasites Love Sugar

Sugar was my drug of choice long after I quit drinking alcohol. Well….that and caffeine, but we’ll leave that for another time. My favorite dessert has always been a chocolate brownie with lots of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and strawberries. I mean, who can top that? Back in the day, I wouldn’t pass up […]

Nutrient Deficiencies and Chronic Infections

Nutritional deficiencies and chronic infections go hand-in-hand. Each perpetuates the other in a never-ending vicious cycle. After many years, I discovered that both need to be addressed simultaneously in order for the recovery of health. The image below is my first hair test, from December 8th, 2011. Prior to this test I had been sick […]

Parasites- A Serious Co-infection of Lyme Disease

Let’s face it. No one wants to consider the fact that they might have worms. It is not only repulsive, but we live in a society that tells us this cannot be a problem here in North America. With today’s sanitation and standard of living, we are never taught about routine parasite cleansing. Years ago, […]

Success with Buhner’s Protocol for Lyme Disease

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 […]

The Life of a Lyme Sufferer

I lost the ability to work in 2004 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This was one of the lowest and darkest times of my life. I lost my career, country dream home and most of my hope. Worst of all I lost countless precious years with my children. I was having so many health […]

Beet Kvass – Liver Cleanser and Blood Tonic

Every culture around the world has their own fermented foods that they regularly consumed for good health. My ancestors from Ukraine understood the many restorative properties of beet kvass. This Lacto-fermented, probiotic-rich tonic is made from beets. This is one of my probiotic staples that I don’t like to be without. This is one of […]

Success with Wahls Paleo Diet for Lyme Disease

The Wahls Paleo Diet is the diet that turned me around in less than a year. This eating plan has kept me in complete remission from Lyme Disease and co-infections since November 2014. I also treated the Lyme Disease with Stephen Buhner’s Herbal Protocol and had completed an extensive parasite cleanse. My parasite recipe can […]