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Product Description
The Lyme Disease Survival Guide, written by health care journalist Connie Strasheim, offers not only a new perspective on Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, but also much-needed wisdom for dealing with Lyme disease on an emotional, physical, and lifestyle level. Author Connie Strasheim combines sharp knowledge of the nuts and bolts of a Lyme disease treatment campaign with a witty style and piercing insight into the real life struggles Lyme sufferers encounter daily. Do not miss this one-of-a-kind book!
Product Details
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: BioMed Publishing Group (April 22, 2008)
Connie Strasheim www.lymebytes.blogspot.com's latest blog posts
Connie Strasheim www.lymebytes.blogspot.com sent the following posts to customers who purchased The Lyme Disease Survival Guide: Physical, Lifestyle, and Emotional Strategies for Healing
Of all the foods I've been forced to wean myself off of since becoming sick with Lyme disease, such as bread, pasta, cake, cereal, wine, chocolate and coffee, it
is the latter that I have had the most difficult time parting company
with.
Not
that coffee is so much more sumptuous than pasta or chocolate-indeed, I
adore chocolate and spaghetti with meatballs-but the effects of coffee
are more seductive and enticing to this dragging-butt Lyme disease
sufferer.
I suppose if I were severely depressed (which I have
been in the past with this illness) then I might suffer greater
separation anxiety from chocolate, but since I also rarely buy
chocolate, it helps me not to crave it. Out of sight, out of mind.
But
I´m forced to keep coffee in the house for liver cleanses, and seeing
it in the fridge first thing in the morning, with lethargy like lead
filling my limbs, I can´t help but brew a cup for my beckoning
bloodstream. Just one eight ounce serving of my sumptuous Costa Rican
brew is enough to send my morning companions, heaviness and lethargy,
on their way.
The thing is, I tend to forget about the
long-term effects of coffee upon my body. The instant zing of energy
dulls my memory of all that I have had to do over the past four years
to get my adrenal glands to function properly (which has included
eliminating caffeine from my diet) and before I know it, I'm headed on
a downward spiral.
Yes, I fare well for awhile, falsely
believing that coffee really isn´t so bad. Until a month or two later
and that downward spiral spits my butt to the ground. (And it's as I'm
going downhill that I start having fantasies about adding to my regimen
a cup of green tea or some other caffeinated beverage in the afternoon,
too).
I rarely heed the warning signals and the downhill slope
I'm on until I notice my friends, Lethargy and Fatigue, showing up not
only in the morning, but in the afternoon, too. Coffee may get rid of
them for a few hours in the AM, but over the long haul, it entices them
to stick around, for good.
I am stubborn, though. Whenever I
start to realize what's happening, my first reaction is denial, and I
always find ways to justify keeping a bit of caffeine in my diet. Like
today, when I purchased some chocolate-covered coffee beans from a
vendor. Coffee AND chocolate? What was I thinking?? That this was
somehow BETTER than having a cup of coffee this morning? That there
were only twenty itty bitty coffee beans in that little paper bag--and
that surely, the caffeine content couldn´t possibly match what I get
from my morning brew? HELL-O?
Ah yes, the sure sign of an
addict...denial. I must face the fact that it´s time to part company
with coffee again...and watch the chocolate, too.
J. Wilson,
author of the book, Adrenal Fatigue, believes that coffee impacts the
adrenal glands more negatively than table sugar, wine or any other
food. Why? Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to release
cortisol--it essentially puts the body in a mild state of
fight-or-flight, in a way that no other ingestant can, which, when
constant, drains the adrenal glands and leaves the Lyme disease
sufferer more fatigued than before.
Your body needs that cortisol to fight infection, not enable you to zip about your day like Speedy Gonzales.
Caffeine
is deceptive. While it makes you feel good in the short run-it kills
you over the long haul. A relatively healthy person may not appreciate
this fact, and never perceive any negative effects from drinking coffee
or other caffeinated beverages, but we as Lyme disease sufferers can´t
afford these kind of cheats in our diet.
Yes, it sucks to be
slow in the morning. It´s tedious to have to make it through the first
few hours of the day without something nice and warm and stimulating to
jump-start the body into action, but by eliminating caffeine from our
diet, we are preparing our bodies to feel better over the long haul,
and not just in the morning, but at all times.
It is an
investment that you may not reap immediate benefit from, but over time,
you should notice positive change in your energy levels, and perhaps
even in your other symptoms, especially sleep.
In the
meantime, I will use this post to help me to practice what I preach,
and forget finishing off that little bag of chocolate-covered coffee
beans.
In a previous post, I mentioned that inflammation is one of the primary reasons for symptoms in the chronically ill. By reducing its effects, you can feel a million times better than when pro-inflammatory cytokines are running rampant through your body.
Inflammation is caused by many things. In the Lyme disease sufferer, neurotoxins as a result of infections, as well as starchy and sugary foods, are two important culprits.
Recently, I read an article by Dr. Richard Loyd, a PhD nutritionist and founder of Health Balances in Seattle, W.A., which provided me with some fantastic new insights into lowering inflammation and in removing two of its causes--neurotoxins and the wrong kinds of food.
Let's start first with the food. Yes, diet in Lyme disease is a big deal if you want to reduce inflammation and heal. Simple sugars, as well as starches, and in particular, the polysaccharide amylose, cause inflammation. Stay away from grains, root vegetables, dairy products, and high-glycemic foods, including fruits. If you really want to play it safe, don't eat any fruit except for wild berries. Make non-starchy veggies and animal protein the principal components of your diet.
Second, get your hands on a good toxin binder. While cholestyramine, a cholesterol-lowering drug, has been advocated by some LLMD's for treating those with impaired detoxification ability, (because it is a powerful toxin binder), it can also cause undesirable side effects, such as constipation, bloating and other digestive problems. Dr. Loyd advocates cholestepure as a good alternative to cholestyramine. Cholestepure is a natural product made from plant sterols and can be purchased at Health Balances. He also uses peach tree extract, which he claims is the best substance he has found for removing mold toxins, which are often just as much a cause of symptoms in a Lyme disease sufferer as other toxins! Treating mold and removing mold toxins, as both Loyd and Shoemaker would agree, is vital for a full recovery from Lyme disease.
Paradoxically, however, cholestyramine can exacerbate inflammation in Lyme disease sufferers, so if you opt to take this toxin-binder, you may also need to add an anti-inflammatory to the mix. (And this may be a good idea, anyway, since taking a toxin-binder is likely to only partially remedy the inflammation problem). Dr. Shoemaker prescribes Actos, another medication, to reduce inflammation, but Dr. Loyd notes that Actos can exacerbate symptoms in those who are underweight or have low leptin levels. A better choice, writes Loyd, would be one of the following products: UltraInflamX, Kaprex, KaprexAI, BioticsKappArrest. Those products containing the acronym, "Kapp" in their title inhibit NF-kappaB, a messenger that causes the release of inflammatory cytokines, and are safe, natural alternatives to Actos.
In summary, reducing inflammation and healing from Lyme disease (and its accompanying infections, especially mold) can be accelerated by taking three important steps: 1) Binding and removing mold and other toxins with powerful toxin binders such as cholestepure and peach tree extract, 2)taking an anti-inflammatory such as UltraInflamX, Kaprex or BioticsKappArrest, and 3) sticking to a non-amylose, low glycemic and low starch diet. Yes, you can also go with Dr. Shoemaker's protocol and try cholestyramine and Actos, but if you prefer to use only natural substances, which are likely to have fewer side effects, then you may want to try Dr. Loyd's suggestions.
In previous posts, I have written about other natural anti-inflammatories and toxin binders that can be used in the treatment of Lyme disease; those mentioned here are an addition to these and may be of special interest to those with impaired detoxification mechanisms, as well as for those who believe that mold is a significant contributing factor to their illness.
Finally, Loyd notes that the process of detoxification can be significantly accelerated through the use of Japanese foot detox patches and a homemade (yes, you heard right!) foot detox bath, using two separate tubs (one for each foot),a couple of batteries, spoons and some wiring. Loyd writes that these homemade foot baths, which cost a fraction of commercial ionic foot baths, can be made at home and are actually more effective than their pricey counterparts! For more information on how to make this foot bath, check out: www.royalrife.com/mold_toxins.pdf. As well, you will find at this site a more in-depth explanation of the effects of inflammation upon the body, as well as how the above-mentioned toxin binders and anti-inflammatory products help to heal the body.
I've had chronic Lyme for several years now. I've gotten so many great ideas from Connie - even before she put everything she's learned so far into this great book. I "met" her first through a Lyme discussion group, and always found her ideas to be leading-edge and carefully researched. Then I started reading her blog faithfully. Same thing - deep research, thoughtfully written, spiritually uplifting.
Lyme attacks everyone differently, because it is a parasitic bacteria that takes advantage of our individual bodily weaknesses. This book is helpful because Connie has explored and describes a wide variety of approaches. It's the kind of book that gives someone hope - showing them a number of different ways to get relief from the relentless destruction of this insidious disease. They can understand the options available to them, all in one place, and decide what might work best for them. It's a great resource for anyone who is struggling or who knows/loves someone who is struggling to overcome Lyme disease.
This book is a must read for those struggling with Chronic Lyme Disease. Ms. Strasheim has done some very thorough and interesting research through her own trials -- which cannot be obtained by conventional doctors. This guide is easy to read and provides current information, great tips and several personal accounts about the disease. Five star recommended!
This book is like talking with a friend who, like you, has been through the mill with Lyme Disease, and knows what you're going through. This friend, however, is kind of eccentric, tells you about alternative therapies you may be skeptical about, frequently brings religion into the conversation, and adds good-natured attempts at humor (with mixed success). Several chapters are either whimsical or "spiritual" advice. There is good information about detoxing and various other subjects, but the author's statements are not backed up by references, and beg for verification, for example, claiming that Lyme bacteria tend to bind with heavy metals. Please show me the study...not here....Others are pure opinion ie you should get your metal fillings removed.
I would not recommend this as your first book on Lyme ("The Lyme Disease Solution" is a more informative all around resource), but it does provide some food for thought, and some useful information, and if you feel the need for a little heart-to-heart counseling, check it out.
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