While people with Lyme disease have many types of hormonal imbalances, adrenal fatigue and the hypothyroidism that results from adrenal fatigue, can be primary causes of illness which allow Lyme disease infections to establish a foothold in the body and cause symptoms. This is because the adrenal glands and thyroid play a major role in immune function, and suboptimal function of either causes susceptibility to sickness from Borrelia and other infections. Adrenal dysfunction may be caused by genetic factors, but is more often caused by an accumulation of stressors, including emotional trauma, poor lifestyle habits and environmental toxins. Whenever adrenal fatigue is a primary cause of symptoms, it is important to pay as much attention to healing the adrenal glands as to healing the body from infections. People with Lyme disease and severe adrenal and thyroid dysfunction cannot recover unless these glands are strongly supported, and treatment regimens take into account their condition. Beyond Lyme Disease describes the causes and role of adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism in people with Lyme disease, as well as strategies for healing these conditions, and consequently, the rest of the body.
Infections in the mouth, which result from root canals, wisdom tooth and other cavitations, are a primary cause of some neurological and degenerative diseases, and are sometimes a primary or perpetuating cause of illness in people with Lyme disease. Beyond Lyme Disease explains the role of cavitations in systemic illness, and how to heal the body of foci infections, and remove the toxins that result from antiquated dental practices.
Our food supply isn't what it used to be. Industrialized farming methods, and the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics and other toxins in the food supply, as well as the fact that most food today is genetically-modified, extensively processed and nutrient-depleted, has created an epidemic of chronic illness in populations throughout the industrialized world. Food is medicine for the body, and the fuel upon which it operates. While many people understand the importance of maintaining a healthy diet during recovery from chronic illness, not everyone realizes that toxic and nutrient-deficient food can be a principal cause of disease, and/or can preclude recovery from chronic illness involving Lyme disease. Therefore, it is important to understand not only how to make healthy dietary choices, but also how to reverse severe nutrient deficiencies and avoid allergenic foods. Beyond Lyme Disease provides guidelines for eating well, and describes how and why giving the body the proper nutrition can reverse chronic Lyme disease.
Hundreds of studies have proven that electromagnetic pollution, which results from excessive exposure to both high and low-frequency radiation, from sources such as Wi-Fi, cell phones, power lines and appliances, is a major cause of chronic illness today. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) creates DNA mutations that can lead to cancer, and disrupts intracellular and inter-cellular communication, which allows for pathogenic organisms to flourish in the body. Evidence suggests that EMR may cause susceptibility to symptoms from Lyme disease infections, and exacerbate symptoms of mold and heavy metal toxicity. Beyond Lyme Disease provides evidence for the damaging effects of EMR, as well as solutions for avoiding and protecting the body from it, so that the immune system may fully heal.
Mold is found in over 50 percent of all homes in the United States. Fully one-quarter of the population, and an even higher percentage of those with Lyme disease, cannot detoxify mold and the toxins that result from water-damaged buildings. Thus, it is no surprise that mold toxicity is a major cause of illness in people with Lyme disease, but one which is often overlooked or relegated as secondary in the overall symptom picture. Yet mold and the toxins that it produces can cause more symptoms, or symptoms that are more intense, than those produced by Borrelia and co-infections. Beyond Lyme Disease describes how to identify mold and mycotoxin illness, as well as how to remove mold toxins from the home and work environment and heal the body from this disabling cause of illness.
Heavy metal toxicity is common throughout the population today, due to the plethora of heavy metal toxins in the air, food and water supply. People with chronic health challenges and Lyme disease typically have higher levels of heavy metal toxicity. This is due in part to pyroluria, a condition in which the body cannot effectively synthesize heme, and instead produces a mauve substance that binds with essential minerals and carries them from the body. Since heavy metals occupy the same receptor sites on cells as minerals, mineral deficiencies allow for greater levels of heavy metals to accumulate in the body. Symptoms in people with Lyme disease are therefore often caused by heavy metal toxicity and pyroluria, as much as by infections. Beyond Lyme Disease illustrates the link between Lyme disease, pyroluria and heavy metal toxicity, and why removing heavy metals from the body and correcting mineral deficiencies is essential for a full recovery from chronic illness.
Over ninety percent of the population is estimated to have some type of parasitic infection. In people with Lyme disease, parasitic infections are rampant and often a greater cause of illness than Borrelia and co-infections. Yet parasites are often treated as a secondary problem to Lyme, which means that these infections are often overlooked or improperly treated in people with Lyme. Parasites are tenacious and intelligent, often even more so than Borrelia and other tick-borne infections, and should be treated aggressively and thoroughly. Beyond Lyme Disease describes the role of parasites in chronic illness, and why treating them is important for healing from Lyme disease.
While Lyme disease causes gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, sometimes, GI dysfunction precedes Lyme disease and is a principal cause of illness in people with Lyme, because it creates susceptibility to infections by weakening immune function. GI dysfunction is caused by environmental toxins, antibiotic use, stress, and infections (not necessarily Borreliosis and co-infections), and weakens immune function by causing dysbiosis, leaky gut syndrome, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, and by encouraging pathogenic growth. Beyond Lyme Disease describes how to heal the gut, and remove the factors causing its dysfunction, so that the immune system can heal.
Many studies have linked emotional trauma to depression and chronic illness, yet resolving emotional trauma is often treated as an adjunct component to recovery from chronic illness involving Lyme disease, when it should be primary. Emotional trauma weakens the immune system and creates unhealthy beliefs, thoughts and behavioral patterns that affect cellular function. The depression that results from trauma is often assumed to be the result of pathogens and toxins from Lyme disease, when in reality, infectious organisms and toxins aren't the root cause of the problem. Resolving trauma is crucial for restoring immune function, and Beyond Lyme Disease explores the causes of and solutions for emotional trauma, at the same time that it provides biochemical and cognitive strategies for healing depression.
Environmental toxins from industry, air pollution, building materials, cleaning and cosmetic products; radiation from Fukushima, warfare weaponry and other sources, are causing chronic illnesses of all types in people today. Environmental toxins poison the body and compromise its detoxification mechanisms. Toxins are, for some people with Lyme disease, a main cause of symptoms and illness, yet less attention is generally given to removing toxins and restoring the body, than to eliminating Borrelia and co-infections. Recovery from Lyme disease isn't possible unless environmental toxins are also removed from the body. Beyond Lyme Disease describes ways to do this, in ways that go beyond cleaning up the diet and doing heavy metal chelation therapies.
Finally, Beyond Lyme Disease explores the role of opportunistic infections in chronic illness (which result from weakened immune function from Borreliosis and co-infections), and offers solutions for treating these, as well as the musculoskeletal and structural problems that contribute to compromised immune function.
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