Sunday, April 3, 2011

Lyme Disease: The New Umbrella Diagnosis May Include Fibromyalgia and MS!


I want to share my exciting current work with Lyme Disease, and how I may have found a natural way to address the tricky Borrealia Burgdorferi bacteria spirochetes associated with it. First let me give you some of my background. 

Around 1992 while I was in college, I began researching and testing natural herbal remedies. Now in 2012, I  have finally embraced that I am very much a holistic practitioner. In addition to my private mental health counseling and hypnotherapy practice out of West L.A., I  have been a child art therapist since starting graduate school in 1995. I graduated in 1998 after finishing my thesis on raising self esteem in one session. I also do a lot of nutritional awareness counseling with my clients. Additionally, I do project management, teaching, and consulting. I continue to be an advocate against family violence.

The subjects I am most passionate about are: Natural medicine, and raising human social and environmental awareness and consciousness. With Global warming, I predict we will continue to see a rise in insect spread epidemics as climates warm and become more hospitable to bugs that bite.

In 2006, I developed a hypnosis based deep relaxation protocol to access the deep inner brain. My goal was to be able to unlock the area of the brain that shuts down after a traumatic experience. I have since been using my protocol to address stress,anxiety, and trauma release successfully. I continue to share methods of using herbs and natural remedies to stay flu and cold free, as well as to eliminate other viruses and bacteria in all ages including with children. 

In the Fall of 2010, my 7 and a half year old daughter began complaining of increasing to excruciating, roaming body pain. I had a nagging feeling that I should test her for Lyme. My grandparents have a Summer house on Martha's Vineyard and a couple of family friends had contracted Lyme there on the island. We had been there in the summer of 2010. My daughter never developed a bull's eye target associated with the type of infected tick bite, but one day on our visit, she did get a suspicious rash all over her tummy. She never got a fever, and seemed otherwise OK. The rash went away after a day.  I have since learned that Lyme can strike with no initial signs at all. A few months later however, the pains started. First as what seemed like growing pains, but then they increased to a point where she was visiting the infirmary at school at least twice a week. The pain would come and go. By December and through January, she complained more frequently. She never had a fever, and ate well, so I thought it was due to sports or growing pains. I consulted a doctor and they said it was probably growing pains. Finally in February 2011, I decided to test her for Lyme.

A Naturopathic doctor friend of mine, did a stool DNA test and a blood test. I knew she would take me seriously, and that my pediatrician may not be experienced enough to get a good reading. False negative tests are common. I did not have time to waste. I felt I had waited long enough. Only my child's blood test came back positive for antibodies. Her stool test revealed a high overgrowth of H-Pylori another common stomach bacteria that once out of control can create ulcers and possibly stomach cancer. That explained her bad stomach aches. Lyme lowers immunity so that other problems arise. This is common. Without hesitation, I  began treating her with herbs, oils, and nutrients. Less than 2 months later, all of her symptoms almost disappeared. She was 98% better. In August of 2011 exactly one year after I believe she was infected, she tested negative of Lyme and all co-infections, and has remained symptom free. I still keep her immune system strong with limited herbs and we still use probiotics, but she is now able to eat more of a variety of foods with a less restricted diet. She said the biggest difference is she does not feel "wiped out" anymore. I think 50% of her healing has been due to her positive attitude that "NOTHING would steal her joy," and my positive support of maintaining that.

I have done a bit of research and spoken with adult friends who have battled Lyme for years. Their illness and frustration has been ongoing. I amassed a lot of information in a short time. The spirochete bacteria is almost like a virus, in that it houses itself deep in the nucleus of the body's cells. Much like a virus, it has a complex intelligence and the ability to adapt and morph to whatever singular treatment the patient is doing. If not caught the week of infection, trial and error rounds of strong antibiotics and antibacterials are often repeated with mixed results. Sometimes it takes years and years of trial and error with doctors and medications. One of our family friends from the Vineyard had mentioned that high doses of garlic had finally helped.That was all I needed to hear. 

I began creating a protocol with other strong antibacterial herbs, and other anti-inflammatory, and blood building, and blood cleaning nutrients and herbs. I knew that since the bacteria morphed, I would have to surprise the buggers with no particular pattern. So I used a system of switching my ingredients after rounds alternating 3-7 days depending on what the substance was and how safe it was to use. I also cut out sugar, wheat and gluten, fruit juice, and red meat. I increased yogurt, raw fruits and veggies, and introduced alkalizing foods like miso soup, a little bit of sea weed, and tall glasses of water with tiny 1/8 of a t-spoon of baking soda (Bob's Red Mill is supposedly safest, with no aluminum), or a 1/3 capful of hydrogen peroxide. I have since added a Ph water purifier in drops. A sprinkle of sea salt and a wedge of lemon in a tall glass of water work well too.

I have a theory, that the usual Western approach of treating Lyme Disease with antibiotics and strong anti-parasitics long term, actually creates a cyclical negative response of prolonged illness due to weakened immunity. I recently found this article: http://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c2096.full?eaf . However, I am not entirely opposed to using antibiotics early on, if they work for some. People should use what works. Be aware to rebuild your immune system quickly after using antibiotics. A good brand of probiotics that we are trying is: QuantaBiotic and MultiNutraFood both by www.QuantaFoods.com Contact Dr. Paul Yanick to find a distributer near you. The suggested dose is 4 QuantaBiotic morning and night, 30 minutes before meals. Two MultiNutraFood in the morning and one at night. They can all be taken at the same time. We found these supplements through a holistic Bioenergetic Sychronization Technique or B.E.S.T. doctor in our area. He is clearing us both of family patterns that no longer serve us. This I believe is an important part of the healing process. I can do this clearing for others, but not for myself. I am too close to my child to do it thoroughly for her. Jarrodophilus is also a very strong brand.

We are now also brewing our own home made probiotics with water Kefir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7svkQuUYYc&feature=related

This is a good site I found later, backing my use of Cat's Claw and Probiotics:
http://www.foundhealth.com/lyme-disease/lyme-disease-and-probiotics

Instead of high doses of antibiotics, I am currently building and continue to build my daughter's immunity with supplements. I am administering, and cutting out sugary and acidic substances that feed bacteria. I am saturating her body and creating an inhospitable environment that bacteria cannot grow in. To detox her as the bacteria dies, we also do hot baths with baking soda, epsom salts, and sea salt. We have done one infra red sauna of two 30 minute rounds with a 5 minute break. I turn the heat on at night while she sleeps so that she will sweat at night to detox. It is all working. She went from having a lot of roaming pain to hardly any. She continues to improve. As of 2012 she is symptom free. She is now able to eat meat and poultry again. We eat red meat less often. We now eat a lot of raw vegetables. She also did a round of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to kill the bacteria in her blood.

I was shocked to discover that over years, Lyme also attacks the central brain which is associated with previous trauma, or without previous trauma is the same area effected by trauma. As I had mentioned, I developed a trauma release protocol that has shown consistent results with trauma survivors, and I believe that my protocol can also help Lyme patients. Pepitos or pumpkin seeds and avocados have the proper oils to feed and protect brain tissue. We now eat a lot of both. I bake with the seeds in gluten free muffins and breads. I buy the baking mix pre-made. I drizzle pumpkin seed oil over other cooked foods. You have to refrigerate the oil to keep it fresh.

Two very important facts I believe are helping. My daughter prays with the substances before she takes them. In her mind she asks each substance to help her heal. This is less for Judeo Christian reasons, and more so because doing this accesses the brain to reinforce the belief that healing is occurring. It also stimulates the immune system. She also made a drawing showing a large central burst of energy, filled with smiley faces and hearts, love and light. Around it were small squiggly bacteria looking blobs like small little universes within themselves. Each one had a star. As an art therapist, I could read that she was expressing her inner fight, but that she was recognizing the bacteria as individuals, and that she was pulling through with overbearing inner love and light. Amazing! 

So as a hypnotherapist I advise Lyme patients to write out a contract with themselves to heal, sign, and date it. Keep it filed some place safe.  This registers the hand eye coordination to record deeply into the subconscious that there is an agreement with self to get better. That self belief then drives the individual towards recovery. Maintaining that child like love and lightness of being, is essential too. It means keeping a positive attitude throughout. Bacteria operate at a lower frequency, so raising the body's frequency makes it impossible for the bacteria to survive. Here is a video describing the correlation between mood and health: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtIRuRcI8D0

Lyme disease has also been associated with Fibromyalgia and with Multiple Sclerosis. I believe that my developed protocols can help anyone dealing with these issues. If anyone you know is interested please have them contact me. I am happy to come and speak at a groups too.

Thank you,  I toast to good, vibrant health! Where there is a will, there is often a way!

www.greendragonbotanicals.​com has ready to use herbal remedies and combinations for kids and adults.



-Aura Walker MA, CHt (310) 382-6313
www.aurawalkerhypnotherapy.com