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 Buhner’s 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 – Buhner’s original protocol included eleutherococcus instead of andrographis. As a side note I was already using andrographis as part of my parasite cleansing treatment.

What I did

1. Bowel/ Liver Cleanse- I began with a 30-day herbal bowel and liver cleanse. I mixed equal parts of turmeric, fennel, dandelion and milk thistle. I took a teaspoon mixed with water 3 times per day. I added in some Lugol’s iodine for the 30 days along with digestive enzymes with meals. This is a cleanse developed by Hulda Clark, which I modified. You can read it in more detail here.

2. Parasite Cleanse- I had been battling parasites for over 2 years before beginning Lyme treatment. My parasitic load had been mostly cleared by this time. I did an herbal parasite cleanse for 2 months just to be sure that I was cleared of the roundworms, flukes, tapeworm and rope worms that had been a serious problem.  Here is an article regarding parasites and Lyme Disease. My opinion (also shared by some Lyme Literate Medical Doctors) is that anyone with Lyme also has parasites.  After the 2 months, I continued to take the antiparasitic herbs for 9 months. I took one dose before bed. Here is my herbal recipe.

3. Buhner’s Core Original Protocol- I slowly worked my way up to the full dosing of the 3 main herbs. I decided to purchase the herbs in bulk form and make my own capsules. The large 00 capsules hold about 700 mg of herb, and that is how I calculated my dosing. I stayed at the dosage below for 8 full months. A few months into the protocol, I got tired of making the capsules and found it much easier to just stir the powdered herbs into some water. I emptied out 3 capsules into a spoon to get a feel for the dosing.  I didn’t worry about being a little over or under in my daily measurements.

My daily dose

Japanese Knotweed- 7000mg per day =  10  capsules

Cat’s Claw                 – 7000 mg per day =   10 capsules

Eleutherococcus  –  4200 mg per day =  6 capsules
Note- I took a 2 week break every 60 days

I began with one herb at a time. Once I got to the full dosage for my weight I started the next herb. By taking them one at a time it is easy to tell if there is any adverse reaction to any of the herbs. It took me about 6 weeks to get up to the full dose of each of the core herbs.

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 Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction.  Commonly referred to as a “herx”.  It is the body’s 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.

 Started feeling better at the 5-month mark

I started to improve around the 5-month mark as the pathogenic load decreased. This improvement was the encouragement to keep me moving forward.  I was also on the Wahl’s Paleo Diet (see post, Wahls Paleo Diet for Lyme Disease) at this time. I noticed a marked improvement in all symptoms from the first day I started having my Super Healthy Green Smoothies. I will say it again! This was the game-changer for me.

Babesia treatment at the 6-month mark

Babesia are malaria-like protozoans that parasitize and reproduce in the red blood cells. Chronic symptoms that I had included air hunger (never feeling I was getting enough air), persistent cough, fatigue, fevers, headache, imbalance, chills, sweats and anemia. I decided to try Buhner’s 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 (40 drops)  3  x per day

Cryptolepis- 1/4 tsp (40 drops)  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.

Bartonella

The Bartonella cleared after doing the above herbal treatments. I never had to do anything else.  I did use a fair amount of milk thistle, Japanese knotweed and sida acuta throughout my treatment.  Possibly this was enough to eliminate the Bartonella for good.

Additional Supplements – Fish oil, kelp, desiccated liver pills, whole food multivitamin/mineral, adrenal glandular, cordyceps and digestive enzymes with all meals. I also took copper and magnesium as suggested on my hair tissue mineral analysis.

Complete Lyme and co-infection remission since treatment.

Since completing the above protocol, November 2014, I have had a reduction of symptoms by about 95%.  Red blood count and ferritin levels are within the normal ranges. Anemia, after a lifetime battle, is much improved. The persistent coughing, feeling cold all the time, headaches, migraines, body aches, tooth pain, ear pain, chills, sweats, dizziness, weakness and extreme fatigue are gone now. I have zero pain in my body which is a miracle in itself. The only lingering issues are cognitive.  These too are greatly improving as the years go by. I am in the rebuilding phase and honestly feel like I get stronger with each passing year. I continue with a Paleo Diet and love this way of eating. Here is an article that explains in detail everything else that I did to completely recover my health.

I highly recommend Buhner’s Protocol to anyone who has Lyme and its co-infections. It is a very inexpensive way to treat these debilitating conditions. There is a bit of a  learning curve, but it really isn’t that complicated once you get going. The key with herbs though is taking enough of a dosage for a sufficient period of time. I have always been drawn to plants, real food, nature, sunshine, fresh air and natural remedies, so for me, this was the easy choice.  I am back to extensive backpacking travel, snorkeling, swimming, hiking and all of the things I love to do. It is a miracle to be well after so many years of sickness.

My Maintenance Protocol

1/ Wahls Paleo- Roughly 33% carbs, 33% protein, 33% fat
2/ 30-day parasite cleanse every 6 months
3/ Sleep a minimum of 7 hours per night
4/ Digestive supports, whole food multivitamin/mineral, cod liver oil, kelp, magnesium, desiccated liver capsules, currently manganese as indicated on the latest hair test.
5/ Daily exercise – a minimum of 1 hour
6/ Water- clean filtered- 2 liters per day
7/ Low-stress lifestyle
8/ Plenty of sunshine for vitamin d

Comment from Stephen Buhner.

“Hi Brenda,  I thought your article pretty much a perfect one for people with Lyme, etc. (So glad my work helped you). Nearly all people with the Lyme group of infections needs to moderate the protocol for their specific situation; you really took charge of your life and situation and empowered yourself to wellness. a wonderful, thoughtful story.  All the best, Stephen.”

Blessings and Best of Health!

Brenda

If you are interested in booking a consult, please go to this page for nutritional therapy and hair analysis.

Resources
Stephen Harrod Buhner, Healing Lyme. Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections. Raven Press, 2005. (Watch for the second edition in the coming months)
Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics. Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria. Storey Publishing, 1999.

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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 years. My life was a constant battle to find some kind of stability in the midst of symptoms that included the following:

• severe body aches
• headaches
• migraines
• ongoing constipation
• intense head pressure
• chronic coughing
• extreme fatigue
• overall body weakness
• depression
• suicidal ideation
• anaemia
• weight gain
• bloating
• chronic left sided pain
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• bloodshot eyes
• dry skin
• dry and brittle hair
• ridged fingernails
• body numbness and tingling
• heart palpitations and shortness of breath
• panic attacks
• debilitating anxiety
• chemical sensitivities

On many days, I was barely strong enough to sit up in a chair. I would put on a brave front at mealtime and afterward collapse onto a couch or my bed.

I went to several doctors and received little to no help. The psychiatric diagnosis comes with a bias that seems inclined towards, “you are depressed, and these are the symptoms of your depression,” or “these are the side effects of the drugs.” None of them ever asked me about my diet; no one seemed to be able to offer me a solution.

The problem with this approach is that a drug is seen as the answer: a new chemical, perhaps in combination with a different coping strategy will make life more bearable… without really addressing the underlying problem. And so, I was repeatedly told I was depressed and would have to put up with the side-effects of the medications – a necessary evil.

Finally realizing that the allopathic medical system could not offer real and lasting solutions, I decided to do a little research. Thank heavens for the internet. I knew that something had to change or I wasn’t going to live much longer. I spent many, many hours online, and discovered that the body is a highly adaptive self-healing system. If given the proper fuel, and toxins removed, the body can function the way that it was designed.

Researching online, I slowly began to understand that I needed a holistic approach – one that considered the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of chronic illness. Each aspect is equally important and needs to be addressed. What we eat, drink, think, breathe and believe have tremendous repercussions on the state of our health. Over time, I came to understand that wellness is like a three-legged stool. If one leg is broken, the whole stool will fall over and not function as designed.

The body is a self-healing system.

There were so many testimonials online from people who were healing themselves by taking a body-mind-spirit approach to finding optimal health. Intuitively, I knew this was the way for me. I became hopeful and determined to regain my health using natural interventions. Finally, I would start to address the cause instead of just getting treated for symptoms. It just made plain old common sense, the kind that my Baba (grandmother) from Ukraine would have used.

And so I began my return journey to health. Here are the major steps that were involved.

Remove the bad stuff

1. Processed foods and sugar
2. Foods that create allergy or intolerance – most common are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, shellfish and nuts
3. Amalgam dental fillings
4. Toxic drugs – I quit all psychiatric medications and painkillers in 2007 and began treating the mania and depression naturally. You can read more about this here.
5. Personal care products – Commercial body lotion, sunscreen, bug spray, toothpaste, make-up, hair care products, hair dyes, soaps, body scents and teeth whiteners, to name a few
6. Toxic household products – Heavily scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners, cleaning products
7. Environmental toxins – Of gassing from new furniture, carpets, new vehicle upholstery, fresh paint, mold in the home or workplace, EMF and dirty electricity exposure, cigarette smoke, air fresheners and  scented candles
8. Chronic infections – I started with a bowel cleanse,  treated parasites, and Lyme disease and co-infections.
9. Stress
10. Unhealthy relationships

Add the good stuff.

1. Real food, plenty of water,  Wahls Paleo Diet that provides all of the essential nutrients for great health.
2. Natural supplements, probiotics, superfoods and herbs to target individual infections, address nutritional deficiencies, correct digestion and heal the gut.
3. Exercise that is enjoyable and you look forward to.
4. Spending as much time as possible in nature.
5. Sweating – sauna or naturally in a hot climate is ideal.
6. Beach therapy – sunbathing, soaking in the sea and walking barefoot.
7. Straightening out the body – chiropractic therapy.
8. Laughter, fun and lots of love.
9. Living as simply and stress-free as possible.
10. Develop a loving relationship with a higher power.

This is what I have done to regain my health. It really seems like a daunting set of tasks. It began as a very steep learning curve and took me six years to complete them all. Why so long? Well, think of regaining your health like peeling back the layers of an onion. I just happened to be an onion with many, many layers.

I was very, very sick when I started to work at reversing my physical state. The report back from my first hair tissue mineral analysis looked like someone that was slowly starving to death. I was extremely low in all minerals except for two of them.

The slowest and most frustrating part of this entire process has been dealing with chronic infections; I spent about 4 years on this alone. I finally was diagnosed with Lyme and several co-infections in August 2012. I tried and failed with several different treatments for Lyme Disease and co-infections. I have now been in complete remission from everything since November 2014. I have just celebrated another year of Lyme Free Living! You can read about it here.

Some people may be restored to health in a relatively short time by changing their diet and perhaps doing one or two other things. I think it really depends on the level of toxicity, length of illness, nutritional deficiencies and level of damage to the body. In other words, there is no set timetable for recovery from illness. The body sets its own pace, based on what it needs.

It doesn’t seem fair for one person to have to deal with so many health-related issues. However, in many ways, my poor health was not unlike that of many others today. In a real sense, our health is a product of our times. And we are living today in what is probably the most toxic era in the history of humankind. Here are 12 Myths I Ignored to Recover 20 Years of Chronic Illness.

Despite this, it has all been worth it. The changes I’ve made have become a lifestyle that I wouldn’t give up for anything. To wake up each day without a headache or debilitating body pain and be able to walk five or six miles is a blessing beyond my wildest imagination. I am in complete remission from depression,  mania, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia, all co-infections,  hypothyroidism, chronic migraines, adrenal fatigue, anaemia and nutritional deficiencies, since November 2014. I  have been medication-free since October 2007. Food is powerful medicine!

If you have Lyme Disease and are not recovering please read this article –
10 Reasons You Can’t Get Rid of Lyme Disease, Parasites, Candida and other Co-infections

Everything that I have done to recover my health is available here for free on my blog. If you would like a little extra help, I offer health coaching and hair tissue mineral analysis for a fee. Please go to this page for a list of my rates and to book an appointment for health coaching.

Blessings and Best of health!

Brenda

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