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Lyme disease and stress

Lyme Disease and Stress

By Lyme disease and stress One Comment

On a recent trip to Burlington, Vermont, I happen to reunite with a friend I hadn’t seen in about 20 years. After smiles and a bear hug, we sat down to talk and got caught up on our lives. “Stress,” she said, “Boy do I know stress!” I quickly learned how my friend’s life had been consumed with an assortment of maladies. In an effort to get to the bottom of the problem, she was sent to a Lyme Disease specialist in Connecticut (smart move). In a matter of days the diagnosis came back positive. Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection thought to be carried and transmitted by deer tics, can mimic a great many health related problems, including fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and a great many others. In fact, Lyme Disease is called “the great imitator disease.” Having Lyme Disease is VERY stressful! While your body is fighting this bacterial infection, unrelenting waves of fatigue are draining to mind, body and spirit. It can become a vicious cycle, because stress (specifically cortisol) can decrease the efficiency of the immune system, thereby making it harder to combat and rectify the problem. According to Dr. Mercola’s website, Lyme Disease can be spread by mosquitoes and other insects, not just deer tics. Lyme Disease is now recorded in nearly all 50 states.

Stress Tip of the Day:
Do you feel lethargic and don’t know why? If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid, Crones Disease, arthritis or any other disease that involves aches and pains (or if you know of anyone who has), consider having a test done for Lyme disease. Since Lyme disease is extremely “under reported” it’s likely that your physician may not think to test for it, unless you ask. Even then, consider finding an expert on Lyme Disease (starting with physicians in Connecticut, who know this disease well).

Links/Books/Movies Worth Noting:
Information is your best asset in learning what may be the cause of a specific ailment. The Internet is chock-full of information. Here are some recommended web sites.
http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme_disease/article.htm
http://www.canlyme.com/patsymptoms.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/25/lyme-disease-part-two.aspx

Quote for the Day:
“It is not a rare disease, it is epidemic. It is not just tick-borne; it can also be transmitted by other insects, including fleas, mosquitoes and mites — and by human-to-human contact. Neither is Lyme usually indicated by a bull’s-eye rash; this is found in only a minority of cases. And, except when it is diagnosed at a very early stage, Lyme is rarely cured by a simple course of antibiotics. Finally, Lyme is not just a disease that makes you “tired and achy” — it can utterly destroy a person’s life and ultimately be fatal.” — Dr. Mercola

Photo for the Day:
It seemed only natural to include a photo of a deer today since the primary carriers for Lyme disease are thought to be deer tics. From what little research I have uncovered, this disease was initially diagnosed in Lyme, CT, hence the name, though cases have been reported in all 50 states. This mule deer was photographed outside my front door last year.

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.