A bacterial infection that can be transmitted by ticks. Some top authorities on Lyme disease, like Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, warn that the bacteria that cause it can also be spread by other insects like fleas, mosquitoes, mites and spiders. The disease first appeared in the summer of 1975 in Old Lyme, CT, just north of a US government germ warfare lab on Plum Island run by former Nazi scientists that were secretly brought to the US under Project Paperclip, now declassified. Attorney Michael Carroll, knowledgeable health experts, and LD victims consider infected insects or birds released inadvertently or intentionally from Plum Island as the source of worldwide Lyme disease in all its disguises. Statistics released by the CDC in 2013 estimate that the number of new cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in the U.S. every year is around 300,000 (10x the officially release number).
According to the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Lyme disease is the most common infectious tickborne disease in the U.S. The disease was named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first identified back in 1975 near a government germ warfare lab – Lab 257. Lyme disease remains one of the most serious and controversial epidemics today.
It was initially called “Lyme arthritis” because it presented uncharacteristic arthritic symptoms that even affected children. In 1977, the deer tick, which is also known as the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), was linked to the transmission of the disease. The bacterium responsible for Lyme disease was identified by Willy Burgdorfer, Ph.D., in 1982. Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of long and slender bacterium known as a spirochete, was named after him, and looks identical to the spirochete that causes syphilis.
Lyme disease is called “the great imitator” because it mimics a number of disorders such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also called “the invisible illness,” as most infected individuals outwardly appear to be completely healthy. Their blood work can even appear to be normal in spite of the fact that they are experiencing severe symptoms.
Lyme disease usually starts with fatigue, fever, headaches and joint/muscle pain. It can then progress to muscle spasms, loss of motor coordination, intermittent paralysis, meningitis and even heart problems. The disease typically causes vague, dispersed pain which is the reason it is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia even by experienced doctors. Lyme disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another. To date, it has not been reported to be transmitted through blood transfusion or infected animals (pets).
The corkscrew shape of B. burgdorferi enables it to burrow into and hide in various body tissues. This is the reason it can cause a wide range of symptoms and affect different parts of the body. Lyme disease can also be caused by three other species of bacteria: Borrelia mayonii, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii bacteria. In the U.S., B. burgdorferi and B. mayonii are the leading causes of the disease, while B. garinii and B. afzelii are the primary causes of Lyme disease in Asia and Europe.
Treating Lyme disease is generally very difficult, and symptoms can recur because the bacteria do not just exist as a spirochete; they can even live inside your cells (intracellularly) taking either an “L-form” or “cyst form.” There is a high chance of recurrence after standard antibiotic treatment because of these different morphologies.
Many conventional physicians now acknowledge that Lyme disease is real, but there is still controversy about whether or not it can become a chronic condition. Members of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) do not believe in chronic Lyme and generally will not treat a patient for more than four weeks. On the other hand, members of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) believe that Lyme disease can persist, and they are willing to treat patients beyond the four-week period.
The best strategy against Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by ticks and other insects. The CDC recommends checking your whole body carefully after going to a tick-infested area and taking a shower immediately after being outdoors, to wash off and easily find ticks or tick bites.
What Will Happen If Lyme Is Not Treated Early?
If Lyme disease remains undiagnosed or is left untreated, the spirochetes can spread and hide in different parts of the body.
Problems with your brain and nervous system, heart and circulation, muscles and joints, reproductive system, digestion and skin can occur weeks, months or years later. The symptoms can also come and go even without treatment.
Patients who are not treated early may experience severe symptoms that are difficult to resolve. This is called chronic Lyme disease (CLD) or post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). Around seven to 30 days after an infected tick’s bite, neurological symptoms may be experienced such as pain, weakness, numbness, paralysis of the facial muscles and meningitis symptoms.
Is Lyme Disease Fatal?
While it is not typically fatal, Lyme disease can cause debilitating symptoms such as chronic joint inflammation (often affecting the knee/s), cognitive defects like impaired memory and can sometimes even lead to heart rhythm irregularities. (source) Around 23 deaths have been attributed to Lyme disease, so do not take it lightly.
Long-term antibiotic treatment is not a wise choice for most cases of chronic Lyme disease, since it will seriously impair the gut microbiome. Additionally, it can leave you open to yeast or fungal co-infections, which are already common in the disease. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment can significantly decrease beneficial bacteria in the gut, impairing your natural immune function and even leading to antibiotic-resistant infection. Instead, opt for safer holistic methods to help manage or treat this disease.
This is why it is advisable to exhaust every natural alternative before you resort to standard treatment with antibiotics.
Natural Strategies to Help Fight Lyme Infection
A noteworthy treatment, which can even be used for chronic Lyme disease treatment, is the use of natural antimicrobials. One example is the Nutramedix line of herbal antimicrobials from one of the most prominent alternative medicine experts, Dr. Lee Cowden. The best feature of this natural treatment for Lyme disease is that it rotates various herbal antimicrobials, so you don’t have to worry about bacteria developing resistance.
To help your body fight the infection, you should consume a nutritious diet rich in antioxidants. You can also take antioxidants and other supplements, to help your body fight the infection and relieve symptoms. Here are some supplement recommendations if you are embracing a natural treatment approach:
Astaxanthin: neutralizes toxins and relieves joint pain | Probiotics: optimizes gut flora and supports immunity |
Grapefruit seed extract: may help treat Borrelia in cyst form | Krill oil: helps in reducing inflammation and relieving Lyme symptoms |
Cilantro: a natural chelator for heavy metals | Resveratrol: helps with detoxification and it may treat the common co-infection, Bartonella |
Quercetin: reduces histamine, which is usually high in Lyme patients | Whey protein concentrate: may help with nutrition, a common problem in Lyme patients who are unable to eat properly |
Andrographis and Artemisinin: herbs that treat the common co-infection, Babesia | Curcumin: helps reduce brain swelling and eliminates neurological toxins |
GABA and melatonin: addresses insomnia, which is common in people with Lyme disease | CoQ10: supports cardiac health, alleviates muscle pain and reduces brain fog |
Transfer factors: helps boost immune function |
Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt’s Lyme Treatment Strategy
Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt is one of the top authorities on Lyme disease. He has a Lyme disease protocol that can help you recover from the infection. His website explains the protocol in detail, but here are the basic steps to give you an idea:
- Evaluate all external factors. These include molds, electromagnetic fields, electrosmog and microwave radiation in connection to wireless technologies.
- Check and fix external factors. The external factors are checked and fixed after evaluation. Klinghardt advises shielding your home using Y shield (special graphite paint) in order to reduce microwave radiation coming from the outside. Cloth coated with silver is used for curtains. Patients are advised to turn off all fuses at night and eliminate all cordless telephones until they recover from the illness.
- Deal with emotional issues. Energy psychology tools like psychokinesiology are used to address the emotional components of Lyme.
- Address parasitic, bacterial and viral infections. Parasites need to be addressed first, followed by bacteria and then viruses. Klinghardt uses an antimicrobial cocktail composed of wormwood, vitamin C, phospholipids and different herbs. Viral infections are addressed with BioPure’s Viressence, a tincture of Native American herbs.
- Address other lifestyle factors. Determine your need for supplementation (antioxidants) to address nutritional deficiencies.
Sources:
- https://articles.mercola.com/lyme-disease/what-is-lyme-disease.aspx
- https://articles.mercola.com/lyme-disease.aspx
Recommended Books:
A riveting thriller reminiscent of The Hot Zone, this true story dives into the mystery surrounding one of the most controversial and misdiagnosed conditions of our time—Lyme disease—and of Willy Burgdorfer, the man who discovered the microbe behind it, revealing his secret role in developing bug-borne biological weapons, and raising terrifying questions about the genesis of the epidemic of tick-borne diseases affecting millions of Americans today.
While on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Kris Newby was bitten by an unseen tick. That one bite changed her life forever, pulling her into the abyss of a devastating illness that took ten doctors to diagnose and years to recover: Newby had become one of the 300,000 Americans who are afflicted with Lyme disease each year.
As a science writer, she was driven to understand why this disease is so misunderstood, and its patients so mistreated. This quest led her to Willy Burgdorfer, the Lyme microbe’s discoverer, who revealed that he had developed bug-borne bioweapons during the Cold War, and believed that the Lyme epidemic was started by a military experiment gone wrong.
In a superb, meticulous work of narrative journalism, Bitten takes readers on a journey to investigate these claims, from biological weapons facilities to interviews with biosecurity experts and microbiologists doing cutting-edge research, all the while uncovering darker truths about Willy. It also leads her to uncomfortable questions about why Lyme can be so difficult to both diagnose and treat, and why the government is so reluctant to classify chronic Lyme as a disease.
A gripping, infectious page-turner, Bitten will shed a terrifying new light on an epidemic that is exacting an incalculable toll on us, upending much of what we believe we know about it.