Lyme Disease Holistic Approach

Elizabeth Markovich, MSN, NPIntegrative Healthcare

Integrative Healthcare

Integrative Healthcare

Holistic Primary care - considers the whole person - Science-based approach

Use 11 outside labs for special testing Advise and assist patients with lifestyle

changes - Utilize high quality supplements Offer Prolo injections, hypnosis and

acupuncture, nutritionist, massage

Lyme Controversies

Endemic area – outside the northeast?

• Prevalence – how common is it?

• Vector – ticks or also sexual transmission?

• Adequate testing – the expanded VS regular western blot, other tests and sensitivity?

• Adequate treatment – 10 days or up to a lifetime of antibiotics?

• Chronic illness status – does it cause persistent infection or autoimmunity?

Why all the confusion?

Lyme organism borrelia burgdorferi can move inside host tissues and cells and avoids detection by testing.

It has evolved to avoid the host's immune system attack – cell wall deficient form

It weakens the immune system. Protects itself with a slime biofilm Difficult to culture

My observations and thoughts Very clearly present in our area – have seen

some classic cases Veterinarians test for and treat it locally Good results with treating within a few weeks

after exposure Some people become ill again after antibiotic

treatment and usually improve with re-treatment

Intravenous antibiotics pose a considerable risk

Approach to Testing Igenex – the expanded western blot is the original test & is more sensitive Central Florida Lab – flow cytometry Fluorescecing tags on the organism. May be a better test in immune suppression Local western blot – more false negatives “indeterminate” tests – repeating, use of antibiotics or supplements to enhance testing Testing for co-infections – babesia, bartonella,

Navigating treatment

Early treatment - fairly straightforward and usually successful

Chronic cases present many challenges Dr. Cowden's protocol – uses herbal tinctures Dr. Burrescano's guidelines – middle of the

road? Rife, “salt and vit C”, diflucan, Marshall

protocol.

Challenges in Chronic Lyme

Co-infections – especially babesia and bartonella difficult to treat

Biofilms – a protective layer the organism produces

Other toxins such as heavy metals suppress immunity

Immune suppression, Adrenal and hormone dysfunction

Holistic approach needed

Support the body systems Testing for adrenal stress, and hormones

Detoxification regimen

Support the immune system - Remove burdens on the immune system test for food allergies

Important for the person to have a purpose in life, spiritual connection and social support.

Neurological problems, autism connection

Wide variety of neurological problems associated with Lyme disease

Many kids with autism test positive for Lyme and improve with antibiotics

Autistic people may have immune problems and toxic problems and may have inborn susceptibility

Detoxification profile or genomic profile Heavy metals testing