Lyme Supplements - What I've Added
One thing about the Internet - it does have a way of connecting people.
After my recent post about Lyme disease, I received a lot of messages from people. A fair amount of sympathy (which I don't wear well), a greater amount of empathy (which I adore) and a fair amount of advice.
Along the way, someone asked me about my current supplement. Rather than responding directly, I decided to put it all here, in case it's useful for anyone. The obvious caveat: your situation, symptoms, budget and tolerance will vary. Not might. Will.
Also, this post isn't going to discuss dietary changes I've made or are considering. As much as I can, I'm not super interested in removing things from my life. If eventually, I have to, fine. But for now, this is what I've added, and why.
The Basics
Prior to my lyme diagnosis, I was focused on my thyroid being to blame for my fatigue. (Like many diabetics, I'm on Synthroid.) In my research, I learned that these are common supplements for people with thyroid conditions:
B1
Zinc
Selenium
Magnesium
A couple notes:
1.) I started these about four months ago, and prior to my Lyme reinfection, had noticed an increase in energy.
2.) Magnesium is super cheap and is really good for diabetics and those who exercise a lot. When Missy Foy was training me years ago, that was the only supplement she insisted I go on. Also, because magnesium is linked to better sleep quality, it's the only supplement I take before bed. It doesn't make you groggy, if you prefer to take it in the AM, but it is linked to better sleep, so I take it then.
3.) B1 deficiency didn't turn up in a lot of Lyme articles that I read, but I've kept it in the routine. Zinc, Selenium and Magnesium often do.
D3
If you get a lot of sun and you don't wear a lot of sunscreen, you generally won't have a vitamin D deficiency, so it wasn't in my routine prior to the Lyme diagnosis. However, it is connected to Lyme AND my exercise levels have diminished, so I've added it.
Fairly Basic
I've added in a regular probiotic. That's good advice for anyone. Doubly good if you're on antibiotics (which kill good and bad bacteria), and triply good if you've got Lyme and need to restore good digestion. It's probably the only thing that - for me - gives instant, noticeable improvement.
However, there is one thing I'm doing a little differently...
In one podcast I listened to, the doctor mentioned that our guts have more than a trillion different bacteria and even the best probiotics have "only" 30 billion or so. So his advice is that you take a box (usually that's good for a month) and then switch brands. The idea here is that you're constantly introducing a variety of healthy bacteria. Obviously, if I discover one is the fountain of youth, I'll probably stick to it. But for now, that just makes sense.
Weirder
If you head down the rabbit hole of Lyme googling, you won't go far until you hear a lot about Gluthathione. Here's one good link about why we need it.
That said, there is ample argument amount whether or not gluthathione can survive stomach acid and get to the intestine, where it thrives. So, in addition to taking gluthathione, I'm also taking NAC and Milk Thistle, two supplements that are thought to increase the body's ability to produce its own gluthathione.
I should also mention that one of the Gluthathiones I'm taking (somehow I bought two) is in with Omega 3 fish oil, which is linked to joint improvement. My own experiments with Omega 3's through the years haven't yielded much value, but whatever. There's ton of literature on Omega 3's... just hasn't seemed to do anything for me.
Chlorella comes up as a good supplement for Lyme and the same doctor that talked about the probiotic advice I referenced mentioned it as a go-to for Lyme. I'm actually taking Macro Greens Superfood, but chose that superfood because it includes Chlorella, milk thistle and a probiotic.
And Just a Little Hippy
I mentioned in my last post that my wife is fan of essential oils. She has a detox blend. That one, I'm putting one drop on my tongue every night. Also, if you google essential oils and lyme, you will get a variety of recommendations. She had about five of them in her arsenal that we added into a custom blend. I rub that on my skin every night.
After my recent post about Lyme disease, I received a lot of messages from people. A fair amount of sympathy (which I don't wear well), a greater amount of empathy (which I adore) and a fair amount of advice.
Along the way, someone asked me about my current supplement. Rather than responding directly, I decided to put it all here, in case it's useful for anyone. The obvious caveat: your situation, symptoms, budget and tolerance will vary. Not might. Will.
Also, this post isn't going to discuss dietary changes I've made or are considering. As much as I can, I'm not super interested in removing things from my life. If eventually, I have to, fine. But for now, this is what I've added, and why.
The Basics
Prior to my lyme diagnosis, I was focused on my thyroid being to blame for my fatigue. (Like many diabetics, I'm on Synthroid.) In my research, I learned that these are common supplements for people with thyroid conditions:
B1
Zinc
Selenium
Magnesium
A couple notes:
1.) I started these about four months ago, and prior to my Lyme reinfection, had noticed an increase in energy.
2.) Magnesium is super cheap and is really good for diabetics and those who exercise a lot. When Missy Foy was training me years ago, that was the only supplement she insisted I go on. Also, because magnesium is linked to better sleep quality, it's the only supplement I take before bed. It doesn't make you groggy, if you prefer to take it in the AM, but it is linked to better sleep, so I take it then.
3.) B1 deficiency didn't turn up in a lot of Lyme articles that I read, but I've kept it in the routine. Zinc, Selenium and Magnesium often do.
D3
If you get a lot of sun and you don't wear a lot of sunscreen, you generally won't have a vitamin D deficiency, so it wasn't in my routine prior to the Lyme diagnosis. However, it is connected to Lyme AND my exercise levels have diminished, so I've added it.
Fairly Basic
I've added in a regular probiotic. That's good advice for anyone. Doubly good if you're on antibiotics (which kill good and bad bacteria), and triply good if you've got Lyme and need to restore good digestion. It's probably the only thing that - for me - gives instant, noticeable improvement.
However, there is one thing I'm doing a little differently...
In one podcast I listened to, the doctor mentioned that our guts have more than a trillion different bacteria and even the best probiotics have "only" 30 billion or so. So his advice is that you take a box (usually that's good for a month) and then switch brands. The idea here is that you're constantly introducing a variety of healthy bacteria. Obviously, if I discover one is the fountain of youth, I'll probably stick to it. But for now, that just makes sense.
Weirder
If you head down the rabbit hole of Lyme googling, you won't go far until you hear a lot about Gluthathione. Here's one good link about why we need it.
That said, there is ample argument amount whether or not gluthathione can survive stomach acid and get to the intestine, where it thrives. So, in addition to taking gluthathione, I'm also taking NAC and Milk Thistle, two supplements that are thought to increase the body's ability to produce its own gluthathione.
I should also mention that one of the Gluthathiones I'm taking (somehow I bought two) is in with Omega 3 fish oil, which is linked to joint improvement. My own experiments with Omega 3's through the years haven't yielded much value, but whatever. There's ton of literature on Omega 3's... just hasn't seemed to do anything for me.
Chlorella comes up as a good supplement for Lyme and the same doctor that talked about the probiotic advice I referenced mentioned it as a go-to for Lyme. I'm actually taking Macro Greens Superfood, but chose that superfood because it includes Chlorella, milk thistle and a probiotic.
And Just a Little Hippy
I mentioned in my last post that my wife is fan of essential oils. She has a detox blend. That one, I'm putting one drop on my tongue every night. Also, if you google essential oils and lyme, you will get a variety of recommendations. She had about five of them in her arsenal that we added into a custom blend. I rub that on my skin every night.
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