The Beauty of the Virtual Meetings of the Masterminds in Medicine

Note: If Lyme disease and Chronic Lyme Disease is new to you, feel free to click on this link first for the background information. Then come back here. 🙂

(Click here for the 10-minute (hushed toned) audio summary podcast.)

 

In my community, “The City of Medical GeekDom,” it is not unusual for my generous esteemed mentors and colleagues to participate in, or, produce informational, week-long summits on their subject of expertise. This has an array of advantages. For the public, these summits provide empowering wellness information on various chronic illnesses. It also makes available, to those who struggle with resources, research on what may be most effective for them, decreasing the chance of wasted dollars spent on healing. The physicians and featured speakers also benefit by gaining access to a wider reach of potential patients that will most resonate with their methods, perspectives, and philosophy.

As a practitioner, it is not uncommon for me to intentionally take on a lighter client and project load for a week in order to tune into and take notes, if I partially resonate will a topic that is airing. In May of this year it was the Microbiome Medicine Summit 2. This past week, it was the Chronic Lyme Disease Summit 2.

 

Why is this important to mention?

1. I feel it is important to make others, including physicians, aware that they can access a free week of learning from some of the most renowned experts in many fields, and, learn how they are succeeding in healing their patients and clients. For me, these provide a greater array of tools and knowledge to dive into and use to support mine.

2. I don’t have an affiliation with either of these summits. I do; however, have an absolute passion to learn more on topics that affect my clients and loved ones. I also have a strong desire to spread the hope that these incredible healers are displaying.

3. This summit was personal for me. Many are aware that I have had Lyme and coinfection invasion in my past, and, just recently. This experience has cemented my belief in the profound innate vitality that we all have the power to reignite.

Every day, with every client, I am awed and gain a greater respect of how nature combines with the art and scientific application of its various holistic and integrative medical tools to enable us to thrive.

4. I also want to aim at correcting a potential problem. Sometimes, information overload and brain drain can occur. Especially when one gets bombarded with so many wonderful solutions, variations, and techniques all at once!

I believe it’s important to remember that the underlying intention of this information is to explore what your answer may be, not necessarily getting lost on the details and applications. That is why we have experts in every field. Everyone shines in different areas, in this week-long instance of my esteemed colleagues, it was Lyme disease.

 

The Plugged Sink Analogy

Let me elaborate with a recent experience I may, or may not have had, with my plumbing. Let’s say my sink got plugged and the plumber was booked for several hours. I theoretically could have googled on Youtube how to fix my clogged drain. This in no way made me a plumber, but it may have provided a temporary band aid until the plumber arrived. I would not then use the incident to market myself as the new “Band-Aid Plumber” and sell my services, or try to take on more involved projects.

I’d rather spend time bonding with PubMed. Though my checkbook may have taken a hit, it would be money well spent, because I trust my plumber. I am grateful he became a genius in application of hardware to all household appliances, that he has a good reputation, and uses methods that are successful. This allows me to put my focus back where it belongs, on my medical texts.

With the dotcom era, gone are the days of inaccessible information based on affordability to access. Now, the main objective is finding support from those who have studied the intimate details, gained experience, and emerged as a genius in application. Keep that in mind when reviewing my brief summary!

 

My Brief Review of the Chronic Lyme Summit 2

Understanding the Importance of Philosophy and Moving Beyond “Bug Control.”

Click here to review the importance of individuality and treating the whole person with Lyme, not just killing the critter inside the person.  I wrote about this previously here. All of the experts on the summit did agree that is narrow sighted to use antibiotics alone to kill a spirochete and think Lyme disease is cured. In fact, critters can hide from it, create resistance to it, and swallowing so many bug-killing-pills can damage our microbiome long-term. Not good.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some of the other factors that many of the experts consider:

1. Mold

Dr. Jill Carnahan provided a wonderful overview of the impact of mold on immunity and the connection between Lyme disease and chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS). I have seen that many clients get a tick bite, and then get exposed to mold, and the resultant havoc on their body.

Dr. Jill discussed what constitutes a CIRS diagnosis:

  1. Through sight, odor, or testing, mold exposure is demonstrated.
  2. Consistent symptoms which result and include: fatigue, memory/word finding issues, weakness and achiness, sharp, stabbing headaches, joint pain, numbness and tingling, muscle pain, difficultly in concentration, morning stiffness, facial sensations, respiratory issues such as coughing and shortness of breath, an increase in thirst and urination from dysregulation of a hormone, weight gain (leptin resistance), night sweats, red eyes, loose stools, mood swings, abdominal tenderness and gut issues, and more. (Yes, I paused the video about 20 times to jot down every single symptom she listed!)
  3. Lab abnormalities in: genetics, MSH, C4a, TGFB, MMP9, Antigliadin antibodies, ACTH, and cortisol. (Details and more here.)

I found this blog by Dr. Jill, that lists all the symptoms above and provides more information if this topic is of interest.

Mold on top of Lyme disease is a good example of reaching the threshold of Total Toxic Load (the accumulation of toxins and the body’s ability to excrete and metabolize them).

 

2. The Effect of Toxic Teeth

There were many experts that explored the relationship between the microbiome in your mouth and disease processes. These include cardiovascular pathologies, low birth weight, metabolic dysfunction, and more. This is due to the fact that poor oral health can cause an invasion of the buggies systemically. The result is a weakened immune system which makes it more challenging to recover from chronic Lyme and its coinfections.

There was also mention of spirochetes and critters hiding in crevices of our teeth to protect themselves from our immune system. I did cross-reference this. I found that there is evidence of spirochetes spreading systemically from our teeth, in vitro. I also read an article on the mechanisms of pathogenic spirochete “take over” in our bodies. Finally, Molecular detection of Bartonella quintana DNA in the dental pulp of a homeless patient, further peeked my interest.

Although one dentist stated that essential oils could harm our microbiome in the mouth, I respectfully disagree. Essential oils are not in the category of “bug killers.” Furthermore, there is evidence essential oils are multifactorial and work with our body to rebalance the harmful pathogens, as they spare the “good guys.” Finally, I have had excellent reports by my clients when they start using essential oils orally.

So, make sure you have your canines covered for spirochetes, and I don’t just mean your four-legged friends!

Now some other very important highlights to consider with chronic Lyme disease. I’m listing them brevity, but I may have to do a follow up post:

3. The importance of addressing parasites.

4. Supporting detoxification and its role in chronic Lyme.

5. Considering the neurological effect of Lyme disease. This includes limbic repatterning of the brain and functional neurology as solution.

(There was also a discussion of the brain’s glymphatic system and how the tonsils are the “brain’s toilet.”)

6. How recovering involves the right mindset and avoiding isolation by building a community of support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shout Out to My Oily Amigos!

Essential Oils!

They were mentioned and used by Dr. Lee… for more than breaking up biofilms. Check out the studies he pieced together here in a presentation pdf of his that I found online! Dr. Lee also provides a beautiful summary of the issues with Lyme diagnosis and the prejudice that many sufferers face from not having a “real diagnosis.” Thankfully, this is changing!

You probably know that this is one of favorite tools for supporting someone with Lyme disease. (Check out my essential oils database here if you don’t know why).

This is probably also a good time to speak prevention.

Learn about a non-toxic bug spray with essential oils here in my sunscreen blog….more to come with a focus on the spray later.

 

Summary

Lyme disease is a big challenge in today’s world. The host, Dr. Jay Davidson, did an impeccable job in his interview style and in providing us with free access to experts in the summit. This was in order to empower us with information on a disease that effects more people each year than breast cancer.

Those who struggle with Lyme disease and its coinfections, please know that you are not alone and don’t have to decipher all this information. There are options and they are expanding every day! I am living proof!