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The number of people who are being diagnosed with Lyme Disease has been rising at an alarming rate in recent years. However, there are also many suffering from a chronic illness that could potentially be afflicted but are unaware of it.
There is a lot of similarity between the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Yet, many of these individuals may never seek out testing for Lyme because of mistaken beliefs that they are unlikely to have contracted the condition.
Here I outline five myths about Lyme disease that may prompt you to reconsider it as a possible cause of chronic or mysterious health conditions.
Myth 1: Everyone with Lyme disease develops a “bull’s eye” rash.
A rash is a common early symptom of Lyme disease. However, only 30 percent of Lyme patients report experiencing a rash, and only 9 percent display the classic “bull’s eye” rash.
Myth 2: It couldn’t be Lyme disease if you don’t remember being bitten by a tick.
When ticks bite they inject ticks anesthetic into your skin, so the majority of people do not feel a tick bite. Additionally, nymph ticks, which cause the majority of Lyme Disease in humans, are very small – about the size of a poppy seed – so can easily go unnoticed.
Research shows that only 30 percent of people with Lyme Disease remember being bitten by a tick.
Myth 3: A negative test result means it can’t be Lyme Disease.
Evidence suggests that many Lyme testing methods are flawed. False-negative test results are extremely common, especially in the very early stages of Lyme as it can take six months before the tests are able to detect its presence. You can have a negative result on a blood test yet still have Lyme disease.
One of the reasons for this is that Lyme bacteria don’t generally live in the blood but in the muscles, organs ,and brain. Additionally, they produce compounds that depress immune function so that your immune system doesn’t attack the bacteria.
Lyme disease tests do not identify the presence of the bacteria but rather look for signs that your immune system is fighting the infection. Those with more severe sickness and chronic Lyme disease are actually more likely to get a false negative result because their immune system is not effectively dealing with the infection.
Myth 4: If a person doesn’t look sick they can’t possibly have Lyme Disease.
Just like with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, patients with chronic Lyme Disease may look normal but be suffering tremendously. Extremely low energy levels, neurological and brain dysfunction don’t often cause obvious changes in someone’s appearance. For this reason, it is usually difficult for friends, family and even medical professionals to appreciate the severity of the person’s symptoms.
Myth 5: Chronic Lyme Disease will go away on its own eventually.
Unfortunately, research suggests that the opposite is true. However, with the appropriate treatment, many people have been able to overcome this condition and return to a normal life.
The standard medical approach is the long-term use of antibiotics. Often a course of antibiotics can be very helpful however, they also can cause undesirable and serious side effects.
As such many people have opted for an alternative route using the raw food diet and medicinal herbs. This approach has been very successful for a lot of individuals that have reported remarkable results with just a short time on a raw food diet.
Read more >>> Raw Food Detox
When you cleanse your body with a high-raw, plant-based diet this supports your immune system to overcome unnatural invaders. A herbal cleansing program can enhance this process by supporting the elimination functions of your body including the kidneys and lymphatic system. Herbal antimicrobials are also an essential component of any healing program for chronic Lyme Disease, as they help to destroy microorganisms without the often serious negative side effects that can occur with pharmaceutical agents.
In the video below Itsy Sweeney shares the inspirational story of her recovery from chronic Lyme disease and the health benefits she has experienced with eating a fruit-based raw vegan diet.
Dealing with chronic Lyme Disease can often be a long and arduous path. Yet with determination and patience, it is certainly possible to overcome this condition and reclaim your life again.
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