Herbs that are used to treat Lyme

 (Please note: This post was edited on November 28, 2011 to update)

 It's been a tough summer trying to deal with the treatment protocol for Lyme disease, running the farm, harvesting, and doing art.

I was diagnosed as having been infected for over 7 months with borrelia and babesia organism; "Late-stage Lyme disease".  Not fatal (unless my body can't handle the recovery treatment), possibly not chronic...but we shall see.

The unwelcome intruders inside my body are a bacteria and the other is a protozoa. They are both spirochetes. Pronounced like: Spy-Ro-KEETS. They both like to make a nest somewhere inside your tissues, brain, muscles, and nestle up to your joints. When good and comfy (they dig out a home in these areas) and stimulate your tissues to make a door over their nest. Then they sit back and sip whatever your blood delivers to nearby tissues and reproduce in cycles when the time is favorable.  These two very nasty and sneaky parasites jam up your bile system so much (with their toxins)  it's very very hard to recover when being treated.

A photo of  just harvested "Sweet Annie" artemesia which is now used in Africa to fight malaria.
It is also used successfully in the treatment of the Lyme parasite called: babesia. Please  do not consume the fresh or dried herb as a tea or anything else..this is a neurotoxin ....it will cause seizures, and possibly death.

I also read everything I can to understand the parasites and I believe that by using commonsense, good farm food, and herbs I will beat these bugs.

  Being an herbalist,  I understood the use of the plants involved with the treatment. But nothing really prepared me for the loss of the use of my mind for the past few months, the headaches, muscle weakness and twinges, naseua, extreme joint pain, and fevers. Nothing prepared me for the initial phase reaction of my mind ...the panic attacks, severe depression (both caused by the swift die-off of the bacteria and release of toxins in my brain). No one warned me that some mornings I would not be able to walk, that the severe crippling joint pain would move around. No one said how to treat  the severe headaches or cope with the weakness or heart palpitations. 

I had to find out on my own what to do about the die-off toxins which will harm your brain and how to deal with my joint pain, and my muscles spasms and my energy level all on my own after spending hundreds of dollars on doctors ....even alternative treatment doctors. The majority of them seemed very wary of communicating clearly and  nervous.

 All the medicine I have been and must continue to take for almost 8 months to get well  is earthbased plants and minerals. From the Super Garlic 6000 (one can't use regular garlic as it is not strong enough), to the Artemsia annua, red root, astragulus, Japanese knotweed, turmeric, kelp, alfalfa, parsley, sarsaparilla, black cohosh, Siberian ginseng, selenium, zinc, magnesium, to the iron to replace the red blood cells the babesia have destroyed.

The above picture is of Japanese Knotweed which seems to grow everywhere on the side of the road  in Maine. I love it for the crystal clarity it gives my mind....and the increased sense of well-being. And, yes, it is cheap and available at your local GNC store. It is touted as a mind booster for students. Better than gingko even! Don't take too much as it does have contradictions...once a day is fine.


I also suggest that anyone who has Lyme disease should read Dr. Zhang's book and started taking garlic the  Metagentics Brand  (SuperGarlic 6000) while you read up on what else you need to take. The garlic won't hurt you whether you have Lyme or not but it will slow down or even start you on your way to getting well. The spirochetes really hate the intense dose of allicin and either they back out and leave or they are sickened enough to be blasted by your own body's T cells.

 A photo of regular farm garlic...yummy and easy to grow in any garden space. To always insure you have it around.... plant sections in the fall to make more garlic bulbs to harvest in the summer...however for treating Lyme order the strong distilled stuff- SuperGarlic 6000 as the bulb is just not strong enough to act as an antibiotic.

Lastly, get a kind friend or friends to support you during treatment. Treatment is tougher than you may think as the dying parasite's toxins can make you completely miserable with headaches, dizziness, and you will have difficulty walking and talking for periods if you are infested a lot. The dead spirochetes are much like mercury....the oily toxins (dead body parts) will burn through your brain and can cause pretty intense headaches, hallucinations, panic attacks, visual disturbances, muscle spasms, dizziness, poor writing skills, memory loss, with the effects of their die-off. These disturbances will go away over time....the poor brain gets to heal last so expect to be ill for months off and on. Very important-Methyl-B-12 will help you heal from some of this so take it by mouth at least once a day.

To Detox:  Make sure the oily neurotoxins (dead spirochetes) are not picked up and recirculated (to frazzle your poor brain again) as they can be up to 3 times (they can be picked up in the upper colon) Take 3 chlorella capsules a day, at least 1 apple every day  as the pectin binds to the toxins and carry them out of the body. Use a coffee enema if you have a headache as it will stimulate your liver to release the toxic material in the upper colon...your headache will go away quicker.
Drink at least 1/2 to 3/4 gallon of good filtered water a day.

Drink lots of water, don't eat sugar ever (bacteria, LOVE SUGAR), and be patient with yourself.
You are fighting a really hard battle...one that it seems not many people really want to understand. If you do fight it the long way like I am doing you will end up free and clear of of the Lyme spirochetes. Antibiotics make some of them cyst up and wait for a year or so and then they break back out......you end up with Lyme disease all over again.


Give yourself the very important nerve blood  and DNA making vitamin B-12. A very good sublingual Methyl  B-12 if you are a vegan or even if you are older like me. Start taking B-12 as soon as you see the signs...disconnected limbs; arms, floaty feelings...try the patch or sublingual...it works great!. It is important you pay attention as even your sight is relate to this. 

It does get better!... each ensuing month is less painful. Remember to have HOPE and be very good to yourself. Time frame for turning the corner and feeling better is 4 months into treatment.  Be stubborn...you can beat the bug if you keep taking the garlic.

I am very thankful to my ever hungry farmhands who won't let me get depressed and lay around all day in bed and the crops who seem to demand a good watering everyday which seems like a huge chore until I find that my muscles are relaxed a bit better for it afterward.

Amazingly, I still managed to finish illustrating the rest of my book contracts for ABDO Publishing and Treasure Bay Earthquake book during this tough recovery time and still plant the farm for our winter crops and now am harvesting peaches, onions, garlic, zukes, eggplant, peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and am making ratatouille every night!

Next I post some illustrations from my last three books.
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 I edited the above post adding B-12 advise in November 2011....I felt it necessary as I was diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia and almost died just 3 months after this post...due to B-12 deficieny...I was dying from the inability to make new red blood cells . B-12 is one of the most crucial vitamins you can take ...take it every day as Methyl B-12....any other type is not good enough for healing.