Nov 29, 2022
Lyme Disease Diet {All About Lyme, Episode 62 with Dr. Jess Peatross}
Resources
* 90-day gut healing journey journal
* Website (Dr. Jess + her work)
* Dr. Jess on Instagram
Don’t Miss These Thoughts!
* Who is Dr. Jess Peatross?
* What exactly is Lyme disease and how does one get it?
* What are some symptoms a Lyme disease patient might experience? And what does it have to do with the gut?
* For many it seems as though Lyme disease treatment can be tricky. Dr. Jess shares what some of the most common and/or effective treatments are + why it’s hard to heal from Lyme.
* Do dietary changes work for her patients with Lyme disease? And what are some specific foods she has them eat and/or remove from the diet?
* Are there any nutritional supplements that are helpful for those with Lyme?
* Dr. Jess is well-versed in other topics, too, so I wanted to at least highlight them in the episode. The first is mold illness. Like Lyme disease, it seems as though mold illness is another major underlying factor for severe gut issues. So, what is mold illness and how is it connected to the gut?
* So much of chronic illness has to do with our drainage pathways. Dr. Jess talks a lot about this so she gives a brief overview of what drainage pathways are and what the first step to opening them up contains.
* Finally, besides chronic disease, she also talks about scarring from C sections, augmentations, etc. and how they hold the sympathetic nervous system in overdrive of the trauma that sustained them. I also know that scarring can be one of the main reasons for recurrent SIBO, so Dr. Jess tells us more about what this might look like for someone.
_“A body that is imbalanced is a body at risk”_
Dr. Jessica Peatross
What is Lyme?
Lyme disease is caused by a corkscrew bacteria known as bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi.
Its shape gives it the unique ability to burrow deep into tissue and dig its way in, which is part of the reason this infection can be so hard to fight off.
It often hides deep in connective tissue, such as joints, which is part of the reason it can cause symptoms such as joint pain.
Since b. burgdorferi does not hide in the bloodstream, and instead in the tissue, most of the conventional tests are highly inaccurate. Blood tests used by conventional doctors such as the western blot blood test are known to miss Lyme in 50-80% of patients.
Dr. Jess calls Lyme “the great mimicker” as it mimics other diseases and symptoms due to its wide-ranging effects.
Its location can cause migrating joint pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, and brain fog.
All of these are somewhat vague in nature, which is another reason Lyme is so hard to pinpoint initially.How Do You Get Lyme?
Lyme is carried primarily by ticks.
The bacteria is transmitted through a tick bite into the skin of Lyme patients.
Unfortunately, due to climate change ticks are expanding their territory and the places they can inhabit. This makes Lyme a much higher risk than it used to be, regardless of location.
Tick-borne illness such as Lyme have DOUBLED in the last 13 years, with Lyme being the most prevalent.
New studies are also showing that mosquitos can also carry Lyme, which is slightly concerning. This means more potential infections in the future.
Source: HERECommon Lyme Disease Symptoms
Dr. Jess list some of the common symptoms of Lyme:
* visual changes – blurry vision
* migraines
* co-infection (like stubborn SIBO)
* TMJ or locked jaw
* brain fog
* joint pain
* insomnia
* hormonal imbalances
* decreased immune function
* flares of other chronic disease such as autoimmunity
Lyme infections cause the body to go out of balance, or have trouble maintaining homeostasis.
A lot of mechanisms that we rely on daily are due to homeostasis, such as our sleep cycle, energy, body temperature, hunger cues, etc.
This is part of the reason that Lyme is truly so destructive on overall health, as it impacts so many different reactions within the body.
In terms of its impact on the gut, Lyme has several negative effects.
Since Lyme has such a negative effect on the immune system, it actually makes it easier for pathogens to make it to the gut. The immune system lacks the capacity to fight off these foreign invaders and more infections can spring up in the gut.
This can be anything from parasites to yeast to mold.Manifestation of Symptoms
You may be wondering, how long does it take for these symptoms to start showing up?
And the answer is- it totally depends.
Dr. Jess explains how the individual’s immune system actually determines how long these symptoms will take to occur. It also controls how severe these symptoms may be.
If someone’s immune system is in good standing, you can expect to see a “bulls-eye” rash appear quickly after the bite. This rash is your body’s reaction to Lyme initially, and it actually a good sign of immune function.
After the rash occurs, it is fairly variable how long the symptoms will take to occur.
This often happens anywhere from 2 weeks to a month or so after being exposed to Lyme.
It only takes about 24-72 hours for the ticks to transmit the bacteria, but symptoms usually do not occur until the bacteria starts fully colonizing in the body.Lyme Disease Testing
Dr. Jess recommends several different tests that she uses in her own coaching:
* vibrantlab
* armin labs
* IGeneX
* western blot (a last resort but is ok if on a tight budget)
All of these tests are blood tests but have more sensitive markers than traditional blood tests.
They test for different bands of tick exposure, which can point to Lyme disease.Treatment of Lyme Disease
Dr. Jess explains how her Lyme treatment actually differs slightly from the traditional treatment.
Most doctors go straight for an antibiotic treatment, which can work, but also leaves room for bacterial resistance. Bacteria can easily alter and form resistance to certain antibiotics, which lowers their potential for success.
Dr. Jess uses a two-step approach to healing Lyme consisting of opening drainage pathways and then killing the infection.
_Opening drainage pathways_
Opening drainage pathways helps to reset the body to homeostasis and normalcy BEFORE attempting to kill anything.
This allows individuals to actually dump toxicities and exposures out of their body through multiple pathways such as the liver, bowels, and kidneys.
Since bacteria feed on organic waste, removing this waste also helps to determine why the bacteria was there in the first place.
Once the drainage pathways are opened- individuals able to sweat, consistently go to the bathroom, and establish normal sleep- they are ready for the next phase.
_Killing phase_
By using antimicrobials, Dr. Jess focuses on killing the Lyme bacteria.
Some of her suggested antimicrobials include:
* Biocidin
* CellCore products
* biofilm busters
She also recommends some herbs that have antimicrobial properties such as:
* clove
* wormwood
* black walnut hull
* berberine
Some of these herbs also have anti-inflammatory properties, which is an added bonus!Drainage Pathways
Drainage pathways are actually one of the MOST important parts of your body to understand. These pathways allow you to remove any toxins that you may breathe in, eat, or inhale through your nose.
Since we are constantly being exposed to toxins, it is CRUCIAL that we have well-functioning drainage pathways.
These include organs such as the kidney (filtering urine), liver (filtering out toxic material), bowels (rids bodies of unwanted substances), and sweat glands.
Unfortunately, these pathways can often become overwhelmed and blocked. This results in a build-up of toxins, which can just lead to further infection.
Dr. Jess reveals two common drainage blocks and how she remedies them:
_stagnant liver_
* castor oil packs to encourage production of bile
* increased consumption of bitter vegetables and herbs
* coffee enemas
_blocked sweat pathways_
* sauna or hot baths
* s…