Monthly Archives: April 2011

What happens when top researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates get together to study Lyme disease?

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IOM report

For people who want to know the latest research around treating and stopping Lyme disease and other tick borne infections

by Greg Lee / Two Frogs Healing Center

What happened in Washington DC on October 11-12, 2010 at a National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine Workshop on Lyme disease?
Different researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates gave a wide range of presentations on Lyme disease to a panel of scientists and a public audience. Participants in the audience also provided comments and feedback. These presentations contain a wealth of information which illustrates the complex challenge that Lyme disease poses to the patient, immune system, families, communities, clinician, researcher, environment, and to health care policy legislators.

This workshop produced a mountain of data, research, and opinions which have been compiled into a 485 page workshop report. This is only the opinion of the presenters, not the National Academy of Sciences.

I highly recommend getting your free copy of the workshop report by clicking on this link here:

https://bit.ly/eHDCgg

You will see in the right column two options: 1) Download report – it’s free or 2) Read the report online for free. Grab a big drink of water and some healthy anti-Lyme munchies before sitting down to read this report.

Here is a link to the video of the conference if you want to watch all 14+ hours of it:

https://www.tvworldwide.com/events/iom/101011/default.cfm?id=12856&type=flv&test=0&live=0

Here are parts of the report I highly recommend reading/watching:

A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING TICK-BORNE DISEASES: PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AND ECOSYSTEMS
Richard S. Ostfeld, Ph.D., Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies – page 2-1

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF LYME DISEASE
Robert Aronowitz, M.D., University of Pennsylvania – page  3-1

THE HUMAN FACE OF TICK-BORNE DISEASE INFECTIONS
Pamela Weintraub – page 3-4

Emerging Infections, Tick Biology, and Host-Vector Interactions- page 4-1

VARIATION OF BORRELIA SUBSPECIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN DISEASE
James H. Oliver, Jr., Ph.D., Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology, Georgia Southern University – page 4-14

– Dr. Oliver describes 18 different subspecies (mutations) of Borrelia burgdorferi that are found around the world

LYME DISEASE: APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING A MULTIDIMENSIONAL DISEASE
Benjamin J. Luft, M.D., State University of New York-Stony Brook – page 5-6

– Dr. Luft talks about 46 different genotypes (mutations) of Borrelia burgdorferi and where they are found in the US

GENETIC AND ACQUIRED DETERMINANTS OF HOST SUSCEPTIBILITY AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
David J. Weber,M.D., University of North Carolina – page 5-24

AT RISK POPULATIONS FOR BABESIA
Peter J. Krause, M.D., Yale School of Public Health and School of Medicine – page 5-26

PATHOGENESIS OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI INFECTION AND DISEASE
Janis J. Weis, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, University of Utah – page 6-1

DURATION OF SPIROCHETE INFECTION FOLLOWING ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT IN ANIMALS
Linda K. Bockenstedt, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine – page 6-4

In the workshop, Dr. Bockenstedt showed photon microscope images of moving spirochetes in live mice before and fluorescing spirochete material in ear cartilage after antibiotic treatment

COLLAGEN SEQUESTRATION AS A MECHANISM FOR PERSISTENCE OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI
Stephen W. Barthold, D.V.M., Ph.D., University of California-Davis – page 6-11

DIAGNOSTICS FOR LYME DISEASE: KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND NEEDS
Maria Aguero-Rosenfeld, M.D., New York University and Bellevue Hospital Center – page 7-1

POTENTIAL BIOMARKER APPLICATIONS FOR LYME DISEASE: ALIGNING MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS WITH BIOLOGICAL MEASURES
Afton L. Hassett, Psy.D., University of Michigan Medical School – page 7-7

PANEL: CHALLENGES FOR CLINICIANS IN DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS MANIFESTATIONS: KNOWLEDGE GAPS

Sam T. Donta, M.D., Professor of Medicine (ret.), Infectious Diseases, Falmouth Hospital, MA – page 7-13

Brian Fallon, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Center for Neuroinflammatory Disorders and Biobehavioral Medicine, Director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center,

Columbia University Medical Center – page 7-15

Richard F. Jacobs, M.D., F.A.A.P. Robert H. Fiser, Jr., M.D. Endowed Chair in Pediatrics Chair, Department of Pediatrics University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences President, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute – page 7-17

Matthew H. Liang, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health – page 7-19

EDUCATION, BEHAVIOR CHANGE, AND OTHER NON-PHARMACEUTICAL MEASURES AGAINST LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES
Paul Mead, M.D., M.P.H., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – page 8-9

VECTOR- AND HOST-TARGETED STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION OF TICKBORNE DISEASES
Jose M.C. Ribeiro, M.D., Ph.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – page 8-12

CRITICAL NEEDS AND GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING TICK-BORNE DISEASES: THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Susan O’Connell, M.D., Southampton General Hospital – page 9-8

Appendix A has a wealth of research papers worth reading

Appendix B describes the amount and allocation of federal dollars for tick research funding

Appendix C summarizes the public comment that was received before the workshop

Enjoy,

– Greg

Next step: Attend our evening lecture on natural healing methods for Lyme disease, “Getting Rid of Lyme Disease Pain, Fatigue, and Mental Fog” on Monday May 2nd from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm at Two Frogs in Frederick

Click here for more information: https://goodbyelyme.com/events/get_rid_lyme

How to Remove Hidden Toxins that Cause Random Lyme Disease Pains, Fatigue, and Brain Fog

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bloodhound

For people with multiple Lyme disease symptoms that are getting worse
by Greg Lee / Two Frogs Healing Center

Different breeds of dogs have very different personalities. For instance, Golden Retrievers act much differently than Bloodhounds. Golden Retrievers smell everything and chase after anything that moves. Bloodhounds have been bred to find and focus on one scent and ignore other distractions. This breed of dog is used to track and find people that are deep in the wilderness.

What can different dog breeds teach you about finding effective treatment for your multiple Lyme disease symptoms?

Just like a Golden Retriever, most people with Lyme disease have been sent from one specialist to another
From all of their medical appointments, these people have compiled a thick folder or three ring binder stuffed full of lab tests, doctor’s notes, and a list of drugs and supplements they have taken over the past several years. They have seen several different specialists, undergone zillions of tests, and have taken gobs of drugs and vitamins. They may have multiple diagnoses like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, different virus infections like Epstein-Barr or Cytomegalovirus, chronic pain, hypochondria, and / or depression. On top of all that, they have multiple symptoms that have baffled doctors for years. Their brain gets overwhelmed trying to parse through their long list of symptoms, medications, and inconclusive tests.How can you begin to find effective treatment for complex symptoms especially when they have baffled specialists?
Symptoms that baffle doctors are usually an indication of lots of toxins
Most specialists are focused on one system of the body and have difficulty diagnosing the underlying causes of a system-wide illness. Most of the tests look at a narrow slice of a person and miss the big picture. A relatively new area of health care research looks at how toxins create illness. Toxins are one of the most commonly overlooked causes of illnesses that are characterized by multiple symptoms.

 

One of the reasons why doctors get so confused is that toxins don’t stay confined to one system. They wander all over the place creating seemingly unrelated symptoms in different areas. These symptoms can create joint pains one day and blurry vision the next. Symptoms that randomly flare up and down are likely caused by toxins. However, tests for toxins are not widely used or accepted by primary care doctors. Patients that get sick more easily may be lacking the ability to eliminate toxins out of their body.
Some people are lacking the genes to identify and eliminate toxins
Toxins are produced by the germs that cause Lyme disease, Babesia, and Bartonella. People also get toxins from being exposed to toxic mold. When a person’s immune system cannot identify a toxin, they cannot eliminate it. As a result, these toxins get recirculated through the body over and over again, which makes a person much sicker. Approximately 25% of people are lacking one or more of these HLA-DR (Human Leukocyte Antigen) genes for identifying toxins. Fortunately, there is simple visual test that can be done easily in person or over the computer to check for the presence of these toxins in the brain.
A Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test checks for neurotoxins
Just like a bloodhound following one scent, a practitioner that looks for toxin induced illnesses often starts with a simple, inexpensive test. When toxins enter the brain, they interfere with the ability to see subtle shades of gray. A Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) test displays several patterns of gray lines in order to determine if a person’s subtle vision is impaired. When paired with a questionnaire about a person’s history, this can provide a significant indicator of toxins underlying a patient’s complex presentation. More complex tests can help to determine the damage caused by toxins.

Immune system markers are increased by elevated levels of toxins
In patients with high levels of mold or Lyme disease toxins, Dr. Shoemaker has found increased levels of immune related markers1 such as leptin, TGF (transforming growth factor) Beta-1, and PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor). and MMP-9 (Matrix metallopeptidase 9). Fortunately, these markers can be measured with standard blood tests. Long-term exposure to toxins also disrupts the balance of hormones and endorphins. As a result, these people become much more sensitive to pain, get tired much more quickly, and feel overwhelmed by normal sounds, lighting, or smells. These patients often need extra help in removing toxins.

Fortunately, there are several effective ways to help these patients to remove toxins
Here are four methods that are effective for eliminating toxins out of the body.

1. Binding medications
Doctors use different cholesterol binding drugs called Welchol (Colesevelam) or Questran (Cholestyramine) to bind to toxins in the intestines to prevent them from being reabsorbed. These toxins then get eliminated with the stool. These medications are usually taken apart from other medications.
2. Binding herbs
There are herbs which also bind to toxins in the intestines2. Galla Chinensis (Chinese name: wu bei zi) and Terminalia Chebula (Chinese name: he zi) are taken to bind to and eliminate toxins in the intestines. Galla Chinesis is usually taken at least two hours apart from other medications and herbs.

 

3. Toxin neutralizing herbs
When antibiotics, antibacterial herbs, or anti-microbial treatments kill Lyme disease bacteria, they release endotoxins. There are several herbs which have neutralized endotoxins in animal studies3:

Forsythia Suspensa, Chinese name: Lian Qiao
Scutellaria Baicalensis, Chinese name: Huang Qin
Japanese Honeysuckle Vine, Chinese name: Ren Dong Teng
Isatis Root, Chinese name: Ban Lan Gen
Isatis Leaf, Chinese name: Da Qing Ye
Rhubarb, Chinese name: Da Huang
Dandelion / taraxicum, Chinese name: Pu Gong Ying
Patrinia, Chinese name: Bai Jiang Cao
Viola, Chinese name: Zi Hua Di Ding
Andrographis, Chinese name: Chuan Xin Lian
4. Draw toxins directly out of the body
Using a technique called wet cupping, suction cups and needles are used to draw toxins out of the blood and the lymph. Suction cups are applied to symptomatic areas of the body to draw toxins out. After a few minutes, the cups are removed and needles are briefly inserted to make a few tiny holes for toxins to come out where the cups were placed. The suction cups are then replaced over the holes to draw out toxins. The fluids removed through wet cupping have been found to have a high amount of toxins4.
The right anti-toxin treatments can create big improvements in multiple toxic symptoms
Stella had over ten different diagnoses including Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Lyme disease. When she first came in for treatment, she could not work, drive, or read due to blurry vision, fatigue, and chronic headaches. She had been hospitalized multiple times for chronic pain and facial paralysis. When her doctor recommended highly toxic, experimental medications, she decided to pursue alternative treatment for Lyme disease. She had amazing results after her first detoxification treatments.

 

Her blurry vision improved after the first week of anti-toxin treatments
After receiving wet cupping treatments, acupuncture, and taking daily herbs for neutralizing toxins, Stella improved to where she could read the newspaper. After two weeks, she could see well enough to drive. After a month and a half of treatment, she returned to her job part-time. Patients with multiple symptoms that have baffled doctors are likely dealing with a toxic illness.

The right anti-toxin treatments can create big improvements in multiple toxic symptoms
Instead of being sent from one specialist to another like a golden retriever, there are simple ways to determine the underlying causes of your multiple symptoms. Just like a bloodhound tracking a scent, practitioners that understand toxic illnesses can unravel the trail of toxins through a Visual Contrast Sensitivity and specific blood tests for immune system markers. They can also help to reduce multiple symptoms through binders, neutralizers, and drawing out toxins directly. Consult with a practitioner that is literate in treating systemic toxin illnesses like Lyme disease or mold sickness before changing your treatment strategy.

1. Shoemaker, Ritchie. “The Biotoxin Pathway” https://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis/the-biotoxin-pathway
2. Chen, J. Private email. Herbs for binding to mycotoxins? 2010 Mar 3
3. Dharmanda S. “Lonicera and Forsythia: Representatives of the “Floating” Toxin-Cleaning Herbs,” https://www.itmonline.org/arts/lonicera.htm
4. Schockert T. Observations on cupping. High toxin concentration in blood from cupping. MMW Fortschr Med. 2009 Jun 4;151(23) p.20.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons user Pleple2000

Next Step: Learn more about removing painful Lyme disease toxins at an evening lecture at 6pm on Monday April 11th called,  “Getting Rid of Lyme Disease” (click the title for more info) in Frederick, Maryland.