Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black legged ticks (1). Very recently, this infection has also been shown to be transmitted my mosquito bites and fleas (2, 3). This would explain the rapid increase of Lyme disease across the country. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, the nervous system and eventually the whole body. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks. Laboratory testing could be helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods but these tests can potentially miss a significant number of patients who are left undiagnosed. Long term treatment with antibiotics is usually the only option that doctors use to treat this infection. Unfortunately, in the great majority of cases, this does not work and the disease worsens. The medical approach does not look at the complexity of this infection, but just treat it with unlimited cycles of antibiotics. From a holistic perspective, we need to analyze the different factors involved in Lyme disease, not just kill this bacterium with a medication which most of time fails. We need to ask questions like: What is the condition of the “terrain”? Why is the immune system so suppressed and can’t fight the infection? Why do some people develop symptoms of Lyme when other don’t? What about co-infections like Bartonella or others? What are the factors that drive the disease process?
They are three major factors we need to uncover in order to start the healing process: a) identify the organ (s) that have been affected by this micro-organism, b) identify and address the co-infectious micro-organisms, c) identify the nutritional deficiencies that are caused by this disease
Liver is the primary players in Lyme
The liver is the primary organ of filtration. It filters out the blood and lymphatic fluid. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. The lymphatic system primarily consists of lymphatic vessels, which are similar to the circulatory system’s veins and capillaries. Once the lymphatic fluid passes through the liver, this organ neutralizes and eliminate the toxins found in it. There are primary two major toxic elements that we need to consider in any Lyme case.
Let’s focus on mercury toxicity first. The list of symptoms of mercury toxicity alone includes virtually any illness known to humankind: chronic fatigue, depression and joint pains are the most common. Simply stated, mercury alone can mimic or cause any illness currently known or at least contribute to it.
To diagnose metal deposits in the different body compartments on a living patient is not easy at all. Blood work falls short of this. It is highly not specific to determine what metals are present in the body and most importantly where. Hair analysis and urine testing have similar shortcomings. They may identify the presence of some metals but most likely miss the identification of some. None of these tests accurately and precisely pinpoint the types of metals (or any toxins for that matter) that interfere with the patient’s health and more importantly where they are located in the body. Knowing these two factors is primordial for establishing a plan to restore one’s health.
Dr. Yoshiaki Omura discovered a resonance phenomenon between identical substances that led him to develop autonomic response testing. However, this testing had a few shortcomings. Fortunately, Dr. Freddie Ulan improved this technique to a level of precision never achieved before. His testing, Nutrition Response Testing is a very accurate and specific diagnostic tool that makes it possible to find out where in the body which metal (or toxins) is stored. In addition, his technique is useful to identify exactly which metal detoxifying agent is most suitable to remove the toxic metal from that particular body region and how and what speed that metal will be eliminated by the pathways of elimination of the body.
In addition to mercury, these are the metals found most commonly: lead, aluminum, and cadmium. So, the key approach to treating Lyme disease and every illness has to include the following:
- Finding out where the metals are localized in the body
- Identifying the exact type of metal
- Identifying the exact herb or supplement that will remove this metal
- Assuming that the channels of elimination of the body are open and working appropriately (kidney support, lymphatic drainage, liver and gall bladder support, small and large intestines supporting agents, etc.)
- Making sure that the metal is actually being eliminated
- Monitoring the detox program carefully from visit to visit
- Identifying and monitoring the route of elimination of other metals
Every single patient that I have seen over the years had a dysfunctional liver. Consequently, the liver cannot perform one of its main jobs which is to neutralize and eliminate the toxins out of the body. An accumulation of mercury and other metals suppresses the immune system which makes the body for prone to a Lyme infection. That explains why some people develop full-blown Lyme as opposed to other who can get rid of it quickly.
Parasitic infection is the lead cause of Lyme disease severity
Clinically, parasites are the major cause of virtually every major illness. In regards to Lyme disease, it is the primary co-infection of Lyme that underlies the severity of the disease. We know that more than 70% of the immune system is located in the gut. As the primary mechanism of defense, the immune system fights hard the presence of parasites anywhere along the GI tract. As a consequence, the immune system shut itself down over there and cannot fight pathogens anymore. Parasitic infections are often missed by Lyme-literate doctors who mostly focus more on common tick-borne infections than other causes of symptoms. And if they identify parasites in a Lyme patient, they do not have the necessary tools to properly handle this situation in order to get rid of them once and for all. Parasites can cause a diverse array of symptoms, including gastrointestinal problems, malabsorption, vertigo, skin rashes, fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, depression, allergies, pain, among others. In other works, parasites can mimic symptoms of Lyme disease. Often time doctors are misled to believe that Lyme is the main problem, but in fact the parasites are the actual underlying factor to contribution to the progression of the disease. In the majority of cases, if not all, parasites can make the patients sicker than the Lyme infection by itself. It is therefore important to get rid of parasites and avoid contamination. Below are several steps you can do the minimize your risk of infections:
1) Make sure your body makes enough hydrochloric acid (HCl). If you are having Heartburn (often thought to be caused by too much stomach acid), indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation, undigested food in stools, acne, rectal itching, chronic Candida, hair loss in women, multiple food allergies, iron deficiency, weak, peeling, or cracked fingernails, chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, dry skin, and various autoimmune diseases, among others, very likely you are deficient in HCl. A proper level of acidity in the stomach in the first line of defense for parasitic infections.
2) Don’t let your pets sleep with you or lick you, especially your face! Dogs and cats are the main carrier of parasites. They carry them and their eggs in their fur and saliva.
3) Thoroughly wash all produce. Fruits and vegetables should be soaked for 15 minutes in vinegar mixed with a gallon of water. Most organic produce in the US is imported from Mexico, where human waste is used as fertilizer, so even organic produce needs to be disinfected.
4) Wash your hands after using the bathroom, cleaning the litter box or changing your baby’s diaper. Parasites hang out everywhere on toilets.
5) Don’t drink tap water, which nowadays is laden with microbes such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
As for the metal detoxification, Nutrition Response Testing is a wonderful tool to use in order to efficiently get rid of parasites. Be wary of products or programs that claim they can eliminate parasites in a day or a month. This is impossible. Parasite cleansing takes in average somewhere between 1-2 years. To key is to properly handle the eggs that parasites lay along the small and large intestines. If those eggs are not eliminated, they will hatch leading to more parasites. Therefore, using the right herbs for the right types of parasites for the right amount of time is critical if you want to eliminate the parasites present in the bowels.
- https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/
- http://www.lymedisease.org.au/transmission/
- http://www.truthaboutlymedisease.com/
He has authored a book on this topic that is awaiting publication with Edition Berger publishers in Canada. He holds an advance certification in Nutrition Response Testing (SM) from Ulan Nutritional Systems in Florida and he is a certified herbalist through the Australian College of Phytotherapy.
His personalized nutritional programs allow to help individuals with a wide variety of health concerns such as hormonal imbalance, digestive issues, heart-related conditions, detoxes/cleanses, weight loss, fatigue, migraines, allergies, among others.
