Welcome To Lyme Bytes!

April, 2014- HELLO ALL! I am no longer posting to this blog. For the latest on me and my work, I invite you to subscribe to my NEW blog: www.conniestrasheim.blogspot.com where I share my latest findings on how to heal from chronic illness involving Lyme and other conditions. Thanks!

Greetings and welcome to my Lyme disease blog, a comfy cozy (and sometimes crazy!) place for cutting-edge information, encouragement and insight into the fastest-growing epidemic disease in the United States. In this blog you will find everything from bug-killing strategies to immune system and hormone help, as well as lifestyle and spiritual suggestions for healing from chronic illness involving Lyme disease. The information contained within this blog is based upon my own healing journey and what I have learned over the past eight years as I have been diligently digging and researching my way back to a better state of health. May you find it to be a source of hope, inspiration and wisdom in your own journey towards wellness.

About "Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment"

About the book:

443 Pages - $39.95
Published August, 2009
Written by Connie Strasheim
Learn More - Bulk Orders - Table of Contents














Thursday, March 06, 2008

Inflammation Makes You Fat

One of the most devastating symptoms for Lyme disease sufferers is the extra weight that many of us carry around as a result of our illness. No pun intended; while we are all "weighted down" by Lyme, I'm referring here to a different kind of weight; the cling-to-your bones type that causes friends and family suggest that you put on your jogging shoes, or change your diet (as if it weren't already restrictive enough!), even though no diet, and no exercise will remove that weight, no matter how hard you try. But do you know why?

It's because you've got an enemy in your body, and its name is Inflammation. And it's not only responsible for why you feel absolutely horrible, but it can also take the credit for your fouled-up metabolism.

Here's how it happens. When excessive inflammation is present, it causes a cascade of dysfunction in the body, starting with pro-inflammatory cytokines, immune system messengers that become excessively production-happy in the presence of Lyme biotoxins. Then, like an out-of-control battalion, they cruise past the blood-brain barrier and disrupt the production of leptin by occupying its receptor site on the hypothalamus. Leptin is a hormone that's responsible for regulating body mass and storing fatty acids, and when its receptor site is blocked by cytokines, the body responds by increasing its production, in an attempt to compensate. But since the nasty cytokines have occupied the receptor site, all that extra leptin instead floats around the body, where it has the effect of increasing the storage of fatty acids, which translates into, you guessed it, more weight on your bones.

So what can you do? Reducing inflammation is key, but it's not a simple matter. Those who have trouble detoxifying may have an especially difficult time getting rid of extra pounds, since higher levels of biotoxins means increased levels of inflammation, and hence, more weight.

Effectively controlling inflammation requires a dissertation, which I won't attempt to write in this post. But perhaps you can take comfort in the fact that as you heal your Lyme disease, chances are, your weight issues will disappear, too. In the meantime, if you can find a way to control the inflammation while you are treating Lyme disease, this is even better, and not just for reasons of body image. Reducing inflammation accelerates healing, in big ways (see my post later this week). If you have trouble detoxing, I also highly recommend you read Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker's book, Mold Warriors, which discusses ways of lowering inflammation caused by biotoxins (from Lyme and otherwise).

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hye girl ! Yep I am not a fattie cuz i drink to many green veggie drinks! No matter what I have done...i cant lose...i have suddenly lost weight but I was doing nothing to merit that and have gained when I eat nothing....I look forward to healing! weight loss will be a big sign to me ...

Connie Strasheim said...

You will get there, Meredith! Just keep prayin' and pluggin' away :)
Thanks for your response. Connie

Connie Strasheim said...

You will get there, Meredith! Just keep prayin' and pluggin' away :)
Thanks for your response. Connie