My New Best Friend

Anyone who has experienced "Lyme Brain," the common name for cognitive disorders caused by Lyme disease, will understand how even simple tasks sometimes become difficult to handle. You walk into a room to do something and forget what you were doing. You run around the house looking for your glasses when they're already on your face. Get sidetracked and never get back to the original task. While many healthy people will joke that they do these things all the time too, for those with Lyme Brain, it's more serious and can easily limit your daily activities. You end up lost while driving, assuming you trust yourself enough to drive in the first place. You leave a lit candle unattended, or a space heater on when leaving the house.

One of the biggest challenges for me has been cooking. I wasn't a great cook before Lyme took over my life, and the Lyme Brain has made it a near-impossible task. Water boils over and leaves a mess on the stove top. I forget to turn on the crock pot, or better yet, turn it on but never plug it in. I forget ingredients or read the measurements wrong. Forget to put a lid on the spaghetti sauce. Leave something in the oven until I smell it burning. I've ruined frying pans with burned-on food. It's somewhat of a running joke in my house, although even my kids know not to trust me in the kitchen.

In my quest to make my life better, I've at least found one thing that helps: my new Instant Pot. It's a pressure cooker that also functions as a crock pot, and it's helped my family out in quite a few ways in the few short weeks we've had it.

For starters, since my husband does the majority of the cooking after working all day, the Instant Pot is great for throwing a meal together in less time than it would normally take to cook. Instead of having convenience foods because we're short on time, we can have a full meal.

But not only that, it's something even I can work with. Assuming I get the ingredients correct, since it's digital you can't set it without first plugging it in. Makes it more difficult for me to forget! You can cook chicken and ground beef from frozen, so when I forget to take them out of the freezer the night before we can still have a decent dinner without much fuss.

You can also convert existing slow cooker recipes to the Instant Pot, and it'll taste like it's been cooking all day long in a fraction of the time.

As ridiculous as it sounds, my favorite thing to make in the Instant Pot so far is hard boiled eggs. Why not just boil them on the stove top? Well, there's my bad habit of boiling things over or forgetting about them. Besides, I never got the timing right on eggs, and they'd end up with that grayish-green color to the yolks. And plenty of times I would end up with cracked eggs leaking out during boiling. With my beloved Instant Pot, I set it and forget it. Not only is it super simple, but the eggs practically peel themselves. No more picking tiny pieces of shell off or peeling off half the egg white in the process. When my kids want egg salad for lunch, they're mixing in the mayo about 15 minutes after starting the pot.

I'm looking forward to all the new recipes we'll be trying in our Instant Pot. If you have a favorite, please share it in the comments. Maybe I'll post a few of my own on the blog.

An old standard for coughs

Many people probably remember your parents slathering Vicks VapoRub on your chest when you were a kid and had a cold. It was supposed to help open your airways so you could breathe, and also help a cough. I remember the product but don't remember it really doing much.

Now that I'm older and much more interested in finding alternative solutions to ingesting tons of pharmaceuticals, I'm willing to give just about anything that goes outside the body a try, within reason, of course. A while back I stumbled onto some advice for treating a cough that I thought was a little crazy.

Vicks VapoRub. On your feet.

Seems strange, right? Well, when my kids brought home a lovely little cold from school a few weeks ago, I started to get desperate. Like most Lymies, what is minor for them (about 3 days of stuffy noses and congestion) is a major setback for me. I'm now into my 3rd week with this cold, and it varies from minor nuisance to fevers and coughing that keep me awake. Even the standard OTC meds weren't doing much to help the cough, and we all know how important sleep is (you can find my post on sleep here). If it's disrupted when you're already under the weather, you don't have much chance of getting better.

One night while I was getting ready to cough my head off (all the coughing was actually causing migraines!) before going to bed, I suddenly remembered that crazy advice about the VapoRub. So I did it. I put VapoRub on my feet and then put on socks.

You know what? I coughed a whole lot less than I had the previous night.

I'm not saying this is any kind of miracle, but it certainly helped. I still have that nasty little cold, and I'm still coughing. But at least the VapoRub is helping me sleep better while I try to get over the rest of it. I'm guessing it has something to do with being absorbed through the feet. I don't really know. I'm not even going to question it. If it works, it works!

And just for the record, I did put it on my chest like the directions say. It was definitely more effective on my feet.

Sleep Solutions

Sleep is such an important part of good health. Everybody knows you're supposed to get 8 hours of sleep a night, but do you know why? There are several things your body does while you're sleeping that contribute to good health, and they occur during different parts of the sleep cycle. If you're not getting the full 8 hours of sleep or your sleep is interrupted, then you're not getting all the benefits you should be getting from your sleep.

The REM state makes up about 25% of your sleep. It occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep, and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night. During REM, energy is provided to your brain and body. If you wake up frequently throughout the night or sleep in short spurts, you're missing out on gaining this energy because you don't enter the REM state often or long enough.

NREM makes up the other 75% of sleep and is comprised of 4 stages. Stages 3 and 4 are the most restorative sleep where you are most relaxed, but you have to get through stages 1 and 2 first. Again, interrupted sleep causes a problem. Tissue growth and repair occurs during stages 3 and 4. For Lymies, missing out on this repair stage makes an already big problem in our bodies even bigger.

My doctor diagnosed lack of deep sleep as one of my issues a while ago based on blood test results. He initially put me on Ambien, but I didn't like that as a long-term solution so I've been using more natural solutions to help me sleep better. Here are some suggestions you can try:

• Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. This helps set your body's internal clock.
• Make sure you sleep in a dark room and keep the lights low if you have to get up during the night.
• Use relaxation techniques like deep breathing or muscle relaxation. The old advice of counting sheep actually has merit. I sometimes use a variation of this exercise combined with breathing. I keep a mental picture of a bunch of balloons in my head. On every inhale, I imagine pulling a balloon from the bunch, and on every exhale I imagine the balloon floating away and I count it. If you lose track of what number you're up to, don't fret. Just start back with the first number that comes into your head. The idea is not to see how high you can count but to let your mind relax with the image and counting, blocking out all those other thoughts that keep you awake at night.
• Melatonin - Many people report being able to fall asleep better while taking melatonin. It helps regulate the sleep cycle and is a calming agent. According to WebMD, melatonin has many other uses as well. I have tried it in the past, but it was never enough to make a difference in my sleep, though perhaps I will add it again to see if I can get any of the other benefits.
• Valerian Root - Valerian root is calming and has been reported to reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. I currently use valerian root and have found some benefit to it.
• Revitalizing Sleep Formula - This is a product I have used off and on for several years, and I do believe it helps me not only fall asleep faster, but also fall back to sleep if I wake up during the night. I also notice my dreams are more vivid when I take this, indicating I'm reaching stages 3 and 4 of NREM. It includes valerian root along with other natural ingredients, so check to make sure you are not taking too much of any one ingredient if you try multiple remedies.

As always, talk to your doctor about any changes you plan to make. My suggestions are only to provide a personal experience and your situation may vary.

Hopefully, with the right amount of rest and relaxation, your body can function as it was meant to. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my recent changes in sleep aids will help me along on my journey to health.

Strep Throat Natural Remedies

I'm fairly sure strep throat is something everyone can relate to. We've all had it at one time or another in our lives. And everyone rushes to the doctor for the rapid strep test (and maybe a regular test if the rapid test is negative) and then a bunch of antibiotics. Like most illnesses, the key is how your immune system handles it, and strep throat is no different. For us Lymies, strep throat, or the side effects of it, can linger around for quite some time because our immune systems aren't capable of fighting them off.

The other issue for Lymies is something that most people take for granted: to antibiotic or not to antibiotic, depending on what treatment we're currently on. Sometimes we're already on antibiotics, but strep gets through anyway and we need to add an extra med. But sometimes we're in a rest period, where we need to let our bodies heal from all the antibiotics we've previously taken, and adding a new med during this time isn't really the best option. Of course, sometimes we have to do it anyway, because what's worse than strep throat? Strep throat that's untreated.

Up until now, like most people, I thought antibiotics was my only choice when I came down with strep throat about a month ago. As soon as I saw those tell-tale white spots on my throat, along with the other symptoms, I rushed to the phone to call my doctor.

But on the way to the phone, I spotted my Cowden products, and I took a second to think things over. There was a reason my doctor didn't want me on antibiotics right now. And I had no idea if Cowden would get messed up if I threw a bunch of antibiotics into the mix. So I thought, "I can give it a little while. I'll do some research first." I figured there had to be a way to get rid of strep throat naturally - something I'd never really thought about before.

What I came up with was that there are quite a few natural methods to get rid of strep. I'm not going to list them all because it would take forever, but I'll just tell you what I tried and why.

Essentially, I used Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and Oil of Oregano. My reason for selecting these two was that I'd already read up on their benefits for other reasons (Lyme, candida, general wellness, etc.) and knew they worked for certain maladies. As it is, I've been taking oil of oregano regularly for a while, and when I feel a cold or something coming on, I up my dose and it gets rid of the illness quickly.

So what did I do? I increased my dose of oil of oregano and started taking apple cider vinegar. I had already been taking oil of oregano twice a day, so I went to three times a day. I gargled with some apple cider vinegar mixed into warm water, and I also drank some apple cider vinegar mixed in water twice a day. In addition, I occasionally swabbed some oil of oregano directly on the white spots on my tonsil (yes, it only infected one, and I think starting this regimen quickly kept it from ever getting to the other tonsil) using a Q-tip.

The results? Pretty amazing. The strep still had to run its course. The white spots did linger for a little more than a week, but they got smaller each day. The sore throat was manageable. It never got out of hand. I did spike a fever about four days after starting the treatment, but a fever is a way of your body telling you it's fighting something off. I took that as a good sign that my immune system was working against the strep. I kept up the oil of oregano and apple cider vinegar after the symptoms and spots disappeared, just to be safe.

In the end, I'm pretty confident that I did have strep even though it was never confirmed by a doctor, and that I beat it without antibiotics.

Better than Baseline

Better or worse than baseline is a term many Lymies use to describe how they're feeling. It's difficult for most people to understand that a "good day" for someone with Chronic Lyme is probably worse than most people's bad days, so comparing it to our "baseline" is a better way to describe it. So if I feel "awful" on a regular basis, I call "awful" my "baseline" and then if I feel a little better than "awful" I can say my day is "better than baseline." To a Lymie, "better than baseline" is a nice change.

I'm happy to report that I've had a few "better than baseline" days recently. They still haven't been great, but slightly better than what I'm used to. My pain has been not as bad and I can move around a little easier. My energy level is up a bit, although I'm still horribly fatigued. So when I'm up, I can do more than usual, but I still need to nap as much as normal.

It's only been a few days like this, but the fact that I noticed them is what's important. I'm trying not to overdo it when I do have the extra energy so I don't ruin my chances of having more "better than baseline" days.

I'm currently one month in to the Cowden Protocol, and I would guess that's what I can attribute these positives to. I have a long way to go in the program, so I'll keep taking it day by day. I hope to see continued improvement, even if it's in tiny increments. I'll take any little bit I can get!

For anyone interested in starting Cowden, you can receive 25% off your first order from Nutramedix by using this link and discount code TAF16. The code will only work with the link supplied.

Cowden Protocol

If you're a Lymie like me, you've probably heard plenty about the Cowden Protocol, but for those who don't know, here's a bit of a summary. The Cowden Protocol is an herbal treatment for Lyme disease and many of its co-infections (the lesser-known infections that can also be transmitted, many in less time than it takes to get Lyme, from a tick bite, among other methods of transmission). Cowden takes a systematic approach to treatment, mixing detoxification in with the herbs that fight infection in order to make the treatment more tolerable than other methods, like oral or intravenous antibiotics. The herbs are also rotated through a specific schedule to kill off what is likely to be present as other infections die. It is a 9-month program, with the option to continue until full health is realized once complete.

Although Cowden does not need to be purchased through a medical professional, it is best when followed under the care of a LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor) for assistance with side effects and other issues. I've been purchasing my products through Nutramedix, although they can be purchased through other websites as well. (See link and discount code at the end of the post.) After trying many other remedies, Cowden has been recommended to me by my LLMD, so I started it almost a month ago.

As I mentioned in a previous post, part of the protocol involves drinking 96 oz. of water a day. Other than the normal benefits of drinking a lot of water, this is done to help detoxify your body as the bacteria die off. One of the biggest complaints of Lymies is the Herx reaction, which is when you feel worse from treatment before getting better. This occurs when the dead bacteria linger in your system. People experience this in different ways because the symptoms of Lyme vary so greatly, but the main theme is that whatever a person's weak spots are, that's where they tend to feel the Herx the worst. By drinking so much water, you flush the dead bacteria from your system before they have a chance to cause problems.

If you do experience any kind of Herx reaction, the program has instructions for taking additional detoxifying herbs to get rid of it. It is even suggested that you slow down the program until the Herx goes away. While 9+ months is a long time to take to complete the program, many Lymies have been suffering with the effects of Chronic Lyme (or whatever doctors want to call it these days) for years upon years, taking forever before they are even diagnosed and then struggling through treatment after treatment with little to no results. A 9-month protocol with minimal Herx reactions is as good or better than many other treatments.

So, my experience so far? Fairly neutral, but I think that's to be expected at less than a month into the program. As I type this, I'm suffering from a mild migraine (yes, there are varying degrees, and after living with them for so long I've learned many coping mechanisms), joint pain, typical fatigue, back pain, and neck pain, to name a few things. I can't ever be sure whether a migraine is a Herx reaction or just my normal symptoms, so I increase my detox herbs just to be safe, but in the end I'll most likely have to take my prescription medication to get rid of it.

But I can report that I'm up to the full dose of Samento and Banderol for the month without having experienced any major setbacks. These are two herbs I've tried before and I've always had major Herxing that caused me to lower the doses for a time before continuing up to the full doses. So that's a positive for the program. I know Samento and Banderol do something to kill off Lyme and co-infections, so if they're working quietly without causing a Herx, I can at least operate at my level of normal while on the program.

I'll check back in a little while to let you know my progress. There are other herbs that will be mixed in eventually, so I'm curious to know whether they'll make a difference.

If you use this link and the discount code TAF16, you'll receive 25% off your first order from Nutramedix.

Water

Everyone knows there are many benefits to drinking a lot of water. I don't need to rehash what we learned in 3rd grade health class here. But I've had to challenge myself to drink 96 oz. of water a day recently, and I've found some interesting things.

Why do I have to do this? Well, I'll be starting the Cowden Protocol next week. (Most Lymies will at least be familiar with the name, but Cowden is a set of herbal supplements that you take in rotation to help eradicate Lyme and co-infections. More on Cowden in another post.) One of the main rules of Cowden is that you MUST drink 96 oz. of water for it to work. I suppose this helps flush out the dying bacteria from your system.

In preparation for Cowden, I figured I better get used to drinking so much water each day. When I was still able to work, I used to drink plenty of water, but I'll admit my consumption has dwindled since I've been so sick. Sometimes just getting out of bed to get a drink isn't worth the effort. Now that I'm forcing myself to do it, here's what I've found:

1. Water bloat is a real thing. Sometimes when I try to drink a lot of water at once, I feel it sloshing around in my stomach. It's uncomfortable for a while until it begins working its way through my system. I don't know if that's a result of digestion/absorption issues from Lyme or if it's normal. I never know if things are normal anymore.
2. There aren't enough hours in a day. 96 oz. of water is a LOT. I drink water with all my meds and supplements and with my meals. I also drink it throughout the day. I limit myself to 2 cups of coffee a day (yeah, I know I shouldn't have any, but it helps my migraines) and I also drink 2 cups of Natural Care Tea as prescribed by my LLMD. Other than that, it's only water. I thought I was drinking a good amount, but once I measured out 96 oz., I was shocked at how far short I was each day. Sometimes I'm trying to chug the last cup right before bed and sometimes I just don't drink it all. Hopefully by the time I start Cowden I'll be more used to drinking that much every day.
3. It makes you pee a lot. I know this seems obvious, but I feel like I'm pregnant again with how often I have to go! 96 oz. in, 96 oz. out. Only unlike when I was pregnant, it's more like Niagara Falls than a babbling brook. When I used to drink more water regularly, I don't recall having to go so much. I don't know if that's another issue with my body's breakdown, or maybe it's my fuzzy Lyme memory. And since I sometimes drink that last bit right before bed, I wake up and have to go. Sleep interruptions are not a good thing, so I need to work on drinking more earlier in the day.
4. It reduces my hot flashes. This has been a shockingly pleasant side effect. I have no idea if it will work for everyone, but it has been a noticeable decrease for me. I've had hot flashes since surgically-induced menopause in July of last year, and I've tried pretty much every OTC remedy out there. I've been hesitant to go on long-term hormone replacement therapy for several reasons, so I've stuck to the OTC stuff and sweated it out. Literally. When I have hot flashes, I can be dripping sweat in an instant. But since I began drinking 96 oz. of water a day (or as close to it as I can get), I've felt a big difference. The number of hot flashes has dropped and those I do get aren't as intense. Major bonus and reason enough to keep drowning myself daily.

Maybe in time I'll see other benefits to all this water. For now, it still feels like I'm forcing myself to drink it every day. But keep at it, and in a week I'll start Cowden, which lasts for 6-9 months. I'll let you know how things are going soon.

Oil of oregano

I'm all for homeopathic remedies, but oil of oregano has to be the most disgusting thing ever! Yesterday, my ear and throat started hurting really bad. My left tonsil was all red. I've read great things about the healing powers of oil of oregano so I thought I'd try it. Now, I don't mind some oregano on my pizza, or in sauce, but liquid concentrate straight on your tongue is just awful! I drank a ton of water to get the taste out of my mouth but that didn't work. A couple of crackers helped a little but the taste lingered for hours.

The good news is that it did help my throat feel somewhat better. At least it was tolerable for a few hours. It helped enough that I even choked down a second dose later in the evening. Today I switched to Throat Coat tea with honey.

Update 3/25/16:

I've actually been taking oil of oregano on a regular basis lately, and it does have some pretty amazing powers. It helps get rid of colds, sore throats, and numerous other issues. It's also good for candida. Thanks to all the antibiotics I've been on in recent years, I tend to get candida in my throat. Oil of oregano stops the growth and actually keeps it away.

For a while, I was choking down the liquid form, but I recently began taking it in capsules. These capsules work really well, so I'm going to keep taking them twice a day, and more as needed when I start to feel sick. The liquid probably works better for certain things, like throat issues since it goes directly to the source, but the capsules are great for everyday use. Plus, it's easier to convince my kids to take a capsule when they get sick than it is to get them to drink something with the drops in it!