Ayurveda adds valuable tools to the Chronic Lyme Recovery Toolbox. Chronic Lyme disease is an illness that is tough to treat. People know and agree on the cause. Lyme is a borrelia–spirochete bacteria infection, often one of several infections commonly gotten from a tick bite.
The western model for chronic Lyme recovery is antibiotics to treat the infection. Detecting the infection early and instituting the treatment right away makes this approach work best. Unfortunately, early detection is far from a sure thing. Many people discover they have Lyme months to years later in the disease process.
For these patients there is a disparity in the understanding of the chronic nature of Lyme infection, what constitutes a cure, and if a cure is possible. Because of this struggle, many branches of health care are working with Lyme patients. Ayurveda seeks to optimize health. Health building can overlay and augment any treatment strategy when fighting Lyme and associated co-infections.
Traditional doctors, Lyme literate doctors, Naturopaths, Functional medicine specialists, and Herbalists are all working on this problem. People have started to reach out and share information to try and help the sickest patients. A person with chronic Lyme may easily see four or more practitioners, just to find help in getting an accurate diagnosis.
By the time someone has chronic Lyme, inflammation is rampant and the disease process is advanced. Multiple systems and tissues are involved. It can take years to control the infections and repair the damage done by the community of organisms that have established residency in the tissues.
In Ayurveda we learn unconscious behavior builds imbalance in the dosha. Chronic Lyme patients are often deeply out of balance, exhausted, and depleted. Ayurveda makes the connection between choices and health clear.
The practice of Ayurveda moves you away from burning the candle at both ends to a place where rejuvenation, balance and rebuilding is possible.
A multi-pronged treatment strategy almost always requires a patient for Chronic Lyme recovery. Here are the approaches and how Ayurveda works right in.
Ayurveda & Chronic Lyme Disease Recovery
1. Reduce Inflammation
Borrelia and other tick-borne pathogens use inflammation to hide from immune system attacks. Inflammation reduces the movement of the rasa. It increases stagnation and impairs the ability of the immune system to find and attack the bacteria. Inflammation increases symptom load as well. Ayurveda steps right in to cool things off using nutrition, dinacharya, and detoxification.
- Agni first aid: Ayurveda promotes digestive health as the gateway to total health. Often people with Lyme disease have such compromised digestion that they cannot eat wheat, dairy, and eggs, without stirring up cycles of inflammation. They need the digestive repair Ayurveda brings.
- Dinacharya: Dinacharya is a great first-line approach to reduce inflammation. Meditation, movement, and self-massage have all been shown to lower inflammation.
- Herbal support
2. Clean Eating
Migrate to high clean nutrient-dense foods and eat to balance your nature. This describes the Ayurvedic approach to eating. Many people go on a vegetable-heavy Paleo eating plan.
3. Ease Symptoms
Symptoms of Lyme disease are all over the map, sore throats, headaches, blurry vision, muscle aches, dizziness, and light & sound sensitivity. Ayurveda protocol for chronic Lyme recovery approaches treatment for the individual to treat imbalances and uses less toxic herbs, food, and practice remedies.
4. Minimize Toxins
If you use store-bought cleaning supplies, make-up, and self-care products, you are exposed to a hundred-plus different chemicals before you head out the door each morning. Ayurveda teaches food-grade products for makeup and self-care. Regular Detoxification is taught as part of daily and seasonal routines.
- Dry Brushing: moves lymph and toxins to processing sites for elimination.
- Abhyanga Oil Massage: Healthy fats help mobilize toxins and move them out into waste streams.
- Cleanses & elimination diet: reduce toxic loading regularly.
- Sweating and enemas (basti): actively pull toxins out.
- Pancha Karma Clinic: Deep Detox with professional support.
5. Kill Pathogens
Understand your current infections and work with a practitioner to eradicate them. Ayurveda has a history of controlling spirochete infections such as malaria, and syphilis with herbs as part of a structured treatment strategy.
6. Rebuild Health
Digestive health comes first with Lyme disease, many patients are unable to absorb the nutrients they need to heal. Ayurveda builds healthy agni and then overall health in its regular practice.
- Dinacharya
- Oil Massage
- Healthy Sleep
- Rasayana foods and tonics to nourish and rebuild
- Meals with balanced tastes for your dosha
- Spices in your foods and targeted herbs
Lyme disease is widespread in certain regions of the United States. Many people have trouble getting treated quickly enough and end up with the chronic form. The practice of Ayurveda can augment any treatment strategy to help these people feel better and heal. Add the power of Ayurveda to your Chronic Lyme recovery toolbox.
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