Lyme Disease Remedies NYC - Dr. Alicia Armitstead

"Antibiotics alone may not suffice because Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, and it has a way of getting into the cell. When it does this, the cell membrane inadvertently protects the bacteria and shields it from the antibiotics. The bacteria can also hide dormant in the nervous system, among other places, where antibiotic drugs can't reach them."

-Dr. Alicia Armitstead

Natural Remedies for Lyme Disease at the Healing Arts NYC Health and Wellness Center in Manhattan NY 10017 and Connecticut

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorferi and, rarely, Borrelia Mayonii. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. When a tick that causes Lyme disease bites you, it infects you with bacteria. Without treatment, the bacteria can spread to other areas of your body. 

Stage 2 begins when the bacteria spread to other parts of your body. Lyme Disease gets hold of the cells in the body and begins its journey throughout. It attacks the immune system heavily. It does this by causing the body to have a heightened immune response (as it should), but without the ability to kill the cells, the immune system works in overdrive without success.

Traditional Treatment Methods

Lyme disease is a complicated infection, tough to diagnose, and even harder to treat if doctors miss an early diagnosis, which is all too often the case. Lyme disease treatment is tricky because most doctors' offices use the most popular blood tests to detect the Disease and miss about 55% of Lyme cases. So if and when a patient finally is diagnosed, it's sometimes by a clinical evaluation of the symptoms, which often mimic other ailments like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and even Alzheimer's Disease.

Complicating matters even further; symptoms can change and move to make it even harder for doctors to diagnose and treat effectively. Headaches, migrating pain, bowel problems, uncharacteristic mood swings, panic attacks, and sleep disorders are just some common symptoms in Lyme patients.

If left untreated, Lyme disease can attack many tissues – including the heart and nervous system – and trigger an immune response that can lead to Lyme arthritis. Chronic Lyme disease can cause memory loss, inflammation around your heart and throughout your body, nerve damage, autoimmune disease, and other long-term heart problems. The riskiest months for Lyme disease are May through September.

Natural Treatments - Antibiotics Aren't Always the Only Answer

While antibiotics and other prescription medications can help treat the Disease and the all-too-common tick-borne co-infections that often hitchhike into your body through a tick bite, there's also a place for holistic remedies in the treatment and management of Lyme disease. 

Antibiotics alone may not suffice because Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, and it has a way of getting into the cell. When it does this, the cell membrane inadvertently protects the bacteria and shields it from the antibiotics. The bacteria can also hide dormant in the nervous system, among other places, where antibiotic drugs can't reach them.

Natural treatments can help heal the body by knocking out the infection and reducing inflammation while getting an injured immune system back on track. Using Nutrition Response Testing, I do not diagnose or treat Lyme, but if a patient comes in knowing they have it, here is how I help support the body:

• Herbs: samento, banderol, stevia, Andrographis, resveratrol, and cat's claw all target Lyme and related tick-borne infections.

• Tea time: green tea compounds, along with curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric, is known to reduce oxidative stress and help aid in traditional antibiotic treatment.

• Having enough vitamins and minerals: Zinc, B, and D vitamin deficiencies could slow down Lyme recovery, so I always test to see if a patient needs these.

• Probiotics: Probiotic foods may help replenish beneficial bacteria in the gut that are wiped out by antibiotic Lyme disease treatment. Organic yogurt, kefir, and even fermented vegetables are good sources of probiotics, and a supplement may also be needed.

• Exercise: Even small oxygen concentrations can help destroy Lyme bacteria in the body. Although Lyme typically zaps people's energy, intense exercise during and after treatment can help keep the Disease at bay.

• Natural Anti-Inflammatories: natural compounds that ease inflammation, such as curcumin and Standard Process's Antronex.

• Diet: a low-carbohydrate diet is necessary because carbohydrates, including sugar, fuel Lyme germs. This means ditching most processed foods and avoiding any added sugar. In addition, muscle testing and actively supporting the person's general health, emphasizing their immune system, circulation, reduced inflammation, and detoxification can lead to reduced symptoms and entire immune system restoration.

Lyme Disease Healing Arts NYC Patient Case Study

Having suffered chronic Lyme Disease for years with no help from Western medicine, I embarked on a journey to find out all I could about the beings inhabiting my body. During the years I was infected, I tried nearly everything, including vitamin IV drips, weeks at a raw living food center, acupuncture, colonics, lymph drainage, doctors, doctors, and more doctors. Having finally overcome the infection and on the better side of dealing with the toll it took on my body, mind, and spirit, I can highly recommend Dr. Alicia Armitstead. 

Dr. Armitstead uses your body's intelligence through NRT (Nutritional Response Testing, i.e., muscle testing) to create the action plan. In my work with Dr. Armitstead, we could not treat my Lyme infection for 14 months because we had to work through other issues that took priority over the Lyme infection.

As an example, if the body is already in a weakened state, it is incapable of performing basic functions like contending with the "every day" toxicities found in water, air, food, cleansers, deodorants, creams, shampoos, detergents, exhausts, etc., so the body, being too sick to detox them, ends up storing those toxins away in organs or tissue throughout the body. This gradually builds up over time. 

While this can happen to a healthy, happy body, it can be extremely debilitating to a body infected by Lyme or any other severe situation. With Dr. Armitstead, you will experience through the work what toxins are aggressive to the body and need the most immediate attention from a visit to visit.

Overcoming Lyme Disease is just the beginning; the real work is in restoring the body from the havoc Lyme wreaked. I was like the girl in the bubble: my immune system was and is still so sensitive, and if I am exposed to any chemical, I get sick. I continue to get better and better, but it is a process and a commitment to my health.

Additional References

• Understanding Lyme Disease, the Basics - Web MD
• Lyme Disease - CDC
• 13 Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease - Healthline
• Bacteria and Lyme Disease - Healing Arts NYC Podcast