For people with Lyme disease and co-infections who crave sweets and carbohydrates
by Greg Lee
by Greg Lee
Have you ever been glued to watching your favorite TV series? I’m often left with more questions at the end of an episode of House of Cards. Has Frank gone to far? Will this finally be his downfall? What will be the backlash of losing a hostage? My brain goes round and round with what might happen next season.
How is thinking about a captivating TV series similar to food cravings in people with Lyme disease?
Just like the drama in a popular TV series, people with Lyme disease can have unstoppable cravings for sweets
Many patients diagnosed with Lyme disease report craving carbohydrates, gluten-rich foods, sugar, and sweet fruits. They go back and forth with thoughts like, “Eat the ice cream, you deserve a treat!” “Don’t eat the ice cream, it’s bad for you.” Many of these people report an increase in their symptoms after giving in to the “EAT IT!” voice. Multiple studies correlate similar types of cravings with decreased levels of serotonin[1], melatonin[2], leptin[3], or dopamine[4]. Patients diagnosed with Lyme, co-infections, or mold can have lowered levels of serotonin[5], melatonin[6], or dopamine[7]. Unfortunately, these people can have difficulty overcoming their cravings.
People with Lyme disease often need more than dietary restrictions to overcome cravings
Most Lyme diet guideline tell people to avoid dairy, gluten, and refined sugars. These foods can increase inflammation which may increase symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, and pain. However, these restrictive diets often increase the intensity of cravings in patients which often leads to an inability to stick to the “recommended” foods. If the craving for carbs and sweets is related to an underlying deficiency, then increasing the deficient compound(s) could effectively reduce or eliminate the cravings.
What else beside dietary recommendations can help people with Lyme disease to stop cravings and fight infections?
These three sweets help reduce cravings and support the immune system to fight Lyme disease
Studies on obesity often recommend healthier replacements like stevia and xylitol in place of artificial sweeteners or refined sugars which people have become addicted to[8]. Fortunately, these sweeteners can reduce cravings and can help people to fight infections. These and other sweeteners can protect vital organs from toxic compounds and enhance the neurological functioning. Processing these sweeteners into a micronized particle called a liposome, enhances their delivery inside cells[9], into the nervous system[10], and into biofilms[11].
Lyme Healing Sweetener #1: Stevia
A big challenge in experiments is how to kill persistent “antibiotic resistant” forms of the Lyme bacteria. In one experiment, whole leaf extract of stevia was effective in eliminating persistent forms of Lyme as well as biofilms that they hide under[12]. In another study, it lowers blood glucose and serum triglyceride levels[13]. Other studies indicate that stevia has anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-diarrheal, diuretic, and immunomodulatory effects[14]. In addition to stevia, xylitol is a natural sweetener with additional healing properties for people with Lyme.
Lyme Healing Sweetener #2: Xylitol
Xylitol has shown in multiple animal and lab studies to inhibit different microbes including: H1N1[15], Streptococcus mutans and it’s biofiims[16], and Streptococcus pneumoniae[17]. It also has a bacteriostatic effect on Listeria Monocytogenes[18]. This sweetener also had a protective effect against Clostridium difficile in a mouse study[19]. Xylitol inhibits multiple oral biofilms in lab studies[20]. When combined with lactoferrin and silver, xylitol has enhanced anti-biofilm properties in wound healing studies[21]. A third sweetener, royal jelly can help with healing the damaging effects of Lyme.
Lyme Healing Sweetener #3: Royal Jelly
Royal jelly (RJ) is the food that is given to queen honey bees and larvae. Since the only way to develop queen bees is to continually feed them RJ, this sweetener enhances the genetic expression of larvae[22]. In one study, RJ had antifungal activity against Candida species[23]. In another study, RJ has been demonstrated to possess numerous functional properties such as antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, vasodilative and hypotensive activities, disinfectant action, antioxidant activity, antihypercholesterolemic activity, and antitumor activity[24].
In one study, RJ protected mice embryos from toxic oxymetholone[25]. In another mouse study, RJ enhanced bone regeneration[26]. In another rat study, RJ protected the colon against chemically induced colitis[27]. It also protected rats against chemotherapy kidney injury in another study[28].
Another study on rat pup brains showed how RJ increased gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), dopamine, and serotonin levels in response to toxic tartrazine[29]. Bees fed tyrosine, a compound in RJ, had increased levels of dopamine[30]. Rats with chemically induced brain injury, had greater memory recall and spatial learning when fed RJ[31]. In another experiment, RJ facilitated the differentiation of different neural cells and it’s compound HDEA facilitated neural growth[32]. RJ is most commonly mixed with honey. One caution, some people may have an allergic reaction to royal jelly. The sweeteners provide a sweet answer to food cravings in patients with Lyme and co-infections.
These sweeteners can help people with Lyme disease to stop food cravings by increasing deficient neurological compounds
Just like watching the “reveal all” episode that stops the obsessive thinking about the characters in a TV series, these sweeteners can be helpful at resolving food cravings by satisfying the underlying deficiencies in neurological compounds like dopamine and serotonin. These sweeteners can also help people to fight stealthy forms of infections, penetrate biofilms, and reduce the damaging effects of Lyme and co-infections. When encapsulated into a liposome, these sweeteners may have even greater penetration into the places where germs hide and provide deeper protection for the brain and other vital organs. Since some of these sweeteners have cautions on their use, work with a Lyme literate herbal practitioner to develop a proper, safe, and effective strategy for your condition.
– Greg
>> Next step: Click here to take our What Lyme Brain Type are You? Quiz to help identify underlying causes of neurological Lyme.
P.S. Do you have experiences where sweeteners helped you to fight and heal Lyme disease and co-infections? Tell us about it.
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Comments 2
Greg, I have been on a Lyme cocktail which has been very beneficial.
It is bio-pure liposomal health 1 tspn, stevia 2 dropperfuls, bio-pure liquid artemesinin 2 dropperfuls and then essential oils from you, which you made up specifically for me after testing me. put in shaker.
I take it twice a day. my protocol says 3 times but its too much for me. I had to start with once a day and build u slowly.
use a good source of stevia. now that Coca-cola is using it in one of their drinks there’s probably a lot of gmo stevia around. use one in alcohol – Nutrmedix one is great.
Hope that helps. Also have a delicious sugar, gluten and dairy free zucchini bread made with xylitol and stevia if you would like me to share that.
Author
Awesome Lana! I’d love the recipe.