Unfortunately, natural remedies for Lyme disease aren't often discussed by medical professionals with their patients. But they should be. While there is no avoiding antibiotics when it comes to Lyme, there are still home remedies for Lyme disease that can help you with your recovery. If you have Lyme, don't waste time, you need to know about these remedies—now.
Lyme disease is an awful illness with debilitating symptoms. I know, I've been there.
I had Lyme disease at one time. I felt so sick, I had red patches all over my body, and I even had severe arthritis that just wouldn't go away. The weird part of it all was that I hadn't really spent much time outside, and I didn't see any tick that would have transmitted the bacteria to me.
Before I was tested and found out the condition I was suffering from was Lyme, I had actually tried a new detox remedy. My patients often suggest different remedies to me, and I like to test some of them out for myself. This one in particular definitely detoxed my body, but afterward, I started feeling sick. The detox must have somehow triggered something that was already present in my body and brought on the illness.
This is a condition that you really want to try to catch early and start taking an antibiotic right away. That's what I did. I went to the doctor and immediately started taking the antibiotic. That's what I recommend you do as well. But, I didn't stop with just the antibiotic. I started taking advantage of natural remedies for Lyme disease too.
I believe these remedies significantly helped me recover, and I think they will help you too.
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is triggered by an infection brought on by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. You may start out feeling like you've woken up with a bad case of the flu. But, if time goes on, and the condition is left untreated, you could wind up experiencing a lot of long-term effects.
The Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial species that infects a person with Lyme is of the spirochete class. Spirochetes are flexible spirally microbes that actually dig holes in your tissue. The Lyme disease symptoms that arise are due to an inflammatory process.
Most cases of Lyme can be cured, but some people continue having symptoms even after antibiotic treatment. This is known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome or chronic Lyme disease.
Causes
Most often, the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria are transmitted by a bite from a type of deer tick known as the black-legged tick. But, other insects like mosquitoes, spiders, and fleas may also be able to spread Lyme disease.
Once the bacteria is introduced through the tick bite, it can quickly spread throughout the body, causing a series of autoimmune-like reactions.
It's also possible for a person to harbor the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria for years without even knowing it—especially if this person has a robust immune system. It's not uncommon for people to be completely unaware they were bitten or infected. Then, one day, something will trigger the dormant bacteria, and the symptoms will arise. This is what may have happened in my case.
Symptoms
Lyme disease symptoms arise because of an inflammatory process. Although two people might both have the same disease, maybe they even suffered a tick bite from the same tick, they can still respond very differently. If this illness is left untreated, it's possible to develop autoimmune problems. Eventually, it's your immune system that may destroy your body later in life. Lyme disease can even be fatal. That's why it's essential to seek help immediately if you think you may have this condition.
Here are a few common Lyme disease symptoms to look out for:
- A skin rash (in many cases the rash resembles a bullseye)
- Flu-like symptoms (fever, fatigue, chills, sweats, muscle pain)
- Digestive issues (nausea, loss of appetite)
- Joint pain (arthritis symptoms)
- Cognitive changes (headaches, brain fog, trouble concentrating)
Antibiotics
The most common conventional treatment used for Lyme is prescription antibiotics. Antibiotics will help kill the dangerous bacteria that have invaded the body. Although I believe in utilizing natural remedies whenever possible, sometimes conventional treatment cannot be avoided. This is one of the times.
But, taking the antibiotic isn't the only thing you should do. That's only one part of the recovery process. I recommend taking antibiotics if you have Lyme disease, but I also believe taking advantage of natural remedies for Lyme disease alongside the antibiotic can be beneficial.
Most people can overcome Lyme after receiving antibiotics for 2-4 weeks. However, antibiotics may not work for every person—especially if the infection has spread through the central nervous system. The sooner a person starts treatment after being diagnosed, the quicker and easier the recovery will most likely be.
The thing about antibiotics is that they will only treat the actual infection itself. What about the entire condition and symptoms? You need to do more in order to really help yourself recover from this condition. That's where my home remedies for Lyme disease come in.
One last thing to keep in mind about antibiotics is that they can actually weaken your immune system over time by altering your body's natural balance of good and bad bacteria. Essentially, the antibiotics will kill the good bacteria that are essential for achieving and maintaining optimal health. Consider talking to your doctor about taking a probiotic supplement while you're on antibiotics, and even for some time after you're off antibiotics. Probiotics can help maintain and replenish the friendly bacteria that you need.
Top 5 Natural Remedies for Lyme Disease
We've talked about the importance of antibiotics when it comes to this condition, but there is something many people don't know they should also be doing—supporting their immune system. They don't know because medical professionals rarely tell them.
You have to salvage your immune system and build up tissue again. This is one of the best things you can do during recovery. These five natural remedies for Lyme disease will help you do it.
Garlic
How It Helps:
Garlic is, of course, an herb that is used all over the world. But, it hasn't become this popular just by adding flavor to pasta sauce. Garlic has been used for centuries as alternative medicine—and for a wide range of illnesses too.
It seems garlic may have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Yes, that fresh garlic you probably have hiding in your kitchen is actually believed to be effective at killing bacteria and viruses. Garlic may be especially helpful for those who have chronic Lyme disease. This may help knock it out once and for all.
This natural antibiotic makes the perfect companion to conventional antibiotics. Garlic is also packed with vitamins and antioxidants to help support the immune system, which is crucial.
How To Use:
Garlic is easy to get your hands on, and you need to get your hands on a lot of it. When I had Lyme, I was consuming so much garlic I smelled like a pizzeria. But, I swear it helped.
Try incorporating fresh garlic into your meals. Garlic powder or garlic salt doesn't count. It may be best to use fresh raw garlic, but you can also have meals with cooked garlic as well.
You can also go to the health food store and buy garlic tablets. When I had Lyme, I was taking 6-9 garlic tablets a day along with including fresh garlic in my meals.
Onion
How It Helps:
In general, when you're feeling run down or sick, garlic and onions should be your go-to foods. Like garlic, onions have a wide range of incredible benefits, and they are both incredible for immune function. Onions are packed with various vitamins and minerals that support the overall health of the body in many ways.
They are also rich in powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation. Beyond giving the immune system a boost and helping fight off infection, onions also help reduce joint inflammation. This is great for those who experience joint pain as a symptom of Lyme.
How To Use:
Onions are fantastic to help the body recover from Lyme infection. I had a lot of onions to help aid the recovery process. Try incorporating more onions into your meals—I cooked with them every day. Eating fresh raw onions on top of a salad is a fantastic option. If you can't stand onion, you can also try onion capsules.
Olive Leaf Extract
How It Helps:
Olive leaf extract is incredible for the immune system. It's made from the leaves of an olive plant (who would've guessed?). Olive leaf extract is rich in beneficial antioxidants. It's also believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. These properties not only help strengthen the immune system, but they may also help you fight off bacteria and fungus that can be dangerous to the body.
How To Use:
You can find olive leaf extract online, at health food stores, or even possibly in the supplement aisle of your local grocery store. It's available in different forms including liquids, capsules, tablets, and teas. There are no official guidelines on how much to take, so it's best to follow the manufacturer's directions on safe dosages.
Chlorella
How It Helps:
Chlorella is green freshwater algae. These unique algae may not sound like something you would want to consume, but chlorella actually has a ton of incredible healing properties. Chlorella's nutritional profile is so impressive, many people have classified it as a "superfood." It contains vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
Chlorella is believed to enhance immune function, and naturally detox the body. It also contains beneficial antioxidants that may help fight disease. These antioxidants include chlorophyll, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein.
How To Use:
Chlorella has a hard cell wall that makes it difficult for humans to digest. The only way to take advantage of its many benefits is by taking it in supplement form. You can find chlorella online or at health supplement stores. You can take it as a capsule, tablet, powder, or extract.
Colloidal Silver
How It Helps:
Colloidal silver is a really interesting natural remedy that has been used for over 125 years. In fact, before 1938, it was even used by mainstream medicine as an antibiotic. It has been known to have antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. It helps kill the harmful bacteria by destroying enzymes that affect the oxygen of the microbes.
Overall, I believe colloidal silver is a fantastic natural antibiotic for so many things. It may also help support immune function, and relieve the flu-like symptoms associated with Lyme.
How To Use:
Colloidal silver is a non-toxic solution of suspended silver particles. It comes in liquid form and can be found online or in health supplement stores. As far as a brand, you may want to give "Sovereign Silver" a try. I'm not affiliated with this brand, and I don't get any kickback from it. But, with over 2,000 positive reviews, it seems like a good brand you can trust.
The dosage depends on the brand you choose as well as the reason for taking it. You may need to take one teaspoon a day or several spreads throughout the day, it just depends. It's best to stick with the manufacturer's safe dosage instructions.
Before You Go
Lyme disease is a nasty, nasty infection. Its symptoms can make a person feel absolutely miserable. It can be easy to feel hopeless, especially if you're suffering from chronic Lyme disease.
I used a combination of these natural remedies for Lyme disease personally. For eight weeks after the infection, I was taking these supplements and loading up my diet with these foods.
Let me tell you, my immune system pulled right out of it, and I did just fine after that. Although you do need to take antibiotics for this condition, I wanted to point out that there are natural things you can do for Lyme. Things that really do work.
They sure did work for me, let me know how these home remedies for Lyme disease work for you.
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