Krista's Herbarium
a collection of herbal remedies, recipes, and reveries
Herbal Therapy for Lyme Disease
I don’t even remember being bitten by a tick. I just noticed what seemed to be a bug bite on my bum that kept getting bigger and bigger. Eventually, it was the size of Jupiter and bumpy and purple with concentric circles. The doctor took one look and diagnosed me with Borrelia or Lyme Disease.
Immediately, I was put on a course of Doxycycline, 400mg for 21 days. No more sunshine, no more normal stomach. A day later the joint pain came. I was fatigued, foggy, slow, in pain and unhappy.
Since then, I have had a couple of clients with Lyme Disease and this is the information that I give them during our initial consultation:
Antibiotics can be less than completely effective because:
Borrelia is evasive
Borrelia becomes part of the microbiome in the form of spirochete cysts which the antibiotics are ill-equipped to deal with
Antibiotics can harm an already frail immune system
Antibiotics can damage the already damaged mitochondria
Herbal therapy can be of great support because:
Herbs have a wide spectrum of antimicrobial properties
Multiple herbs used simultaneously provide synergy
Herbs enhance immune function
Herbs support a balanced microbiome
Herbs help body deal with spirochete cysts
Borrelia does more than just damage cells, produce cysts and cause uncomfortable symptoms. It damages the immune system leaving the body unable to fight and become strained by the course of antibiotics required.
Holistic Herbal Therapy
1: Restorative- using herbs to restore balance and immune function
2: Symptomatic- relieve acute symptoms
3: Heroic- aggressive killing of microbes
Herbal recommendations:
Restorative: Immunomodulation- reishi mushroom, astragalus, eleuthro
Balance microbiome- probiotics, magnesium, oregano or wormwood and activated charcoal to reduce parasites and molds in the intestinal tract
Cellular support- quercitin in the form of sage
Symptomatic: Anti-inflammatory- turmeric, green tea
Adaptogen- ashwagandha
Heroic: Antimicrobial- antibiotics, smilax (sarsaparilla)
Herbs are as varied an individual as humans, there is really no way to give an herbal therapy protocol that suits everyone. This protocol is a great place to start, then, after listening to what your body is telling you, you can make adjustments.
Update: After writing this post, my husband Dan came home with flu-like symptoms and a swollen red circular rash on his elbow. He feels fatigued, sick, achy and pretty miserable. I think we are headed to the doctor tomorrow as he is an avid hiker and removes ticks from himself at least weekly. I am starting him tonight on sage, turmeric, yarrow, elderflower as well as a plantain poultice.
Krista's Herbarium 