The Puzzle of Wellness - Lyme Disease

I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease (chronic) four years ago.  In all of the reading I have done in books, on websites, and with others' personal experiences of this misunderstood and complex immune system dysfunction, it can be rather disheartening fighting it.  It isn't just one thing or a few things that will result in any significant amount of change.  I have found this to be true for myself, as well.  My own efforts to improve my immune system make me feel like I am putting the pieces together in a very challenging puzzle.  When I first began my efforts to strengthen my broken immune system, I was discouraged.  My mom (my biggest cheerleader) encouraged me not to just make one effort...but to look at and incorporate multiple immune system building practices into my efforts (not such a good thing if you are a scientist and trying to test variables, but a very good thing if you are interested in being proactive, taking control of your own health, and wanting to just plain feel better). So, I have done just this.  My health and wellness is like a beautiful picture that I want to reclaim.  Some of the pieces are out of place, so I make an effort each day to put them back in place and keep others from getting displaced.  It doesn't happen overnight.  I am perfectly fine with that, because I feel encouragement and enthusiasm in the tremendous progress I have made so far.  My list of immune system efforts has grown since the time I begun working at it.  But, I have picked one thing at a time to incorporate into my health until it has become habitual and a part of my daily life.

Before I had a diagnosis, I learned from micro-nutrient testing I had completed, that I had a very deficient level of glutathione.  Glutathione is produced by the body to fight the free radicals roaming our bodies, which cause oxidative stress.  However, a body burdened with too much of a toxic load cannot produce the necessary glutathione to "keep up", thus resulting in chronic illness or disease. To boost glutathione, certain foods are encouraged as building blocks to the body making the necessary components of this master antioxidant.  I also learned I needed to avoid chemicals...to use natural cleaning products for home and body, natural make-up, etc., and to reduce exposure to harmful environmental chemicals.  So, the first piece in my puzzle led me to research essential oils, as these gifts of the earth are a very beneficial solution for toxicity, for restoring health, or for maintaining continued wellness. At this time, I also met with a doctor who planted the first seeds of essential oil usage.  Thus began my family's connection and relationship with essential oils.

Out of a very significant trial in my life has come a tremendous blessing for myself and my family...and those I have the courage to share with.  While I work on my own puzzle of wellness, I daily try to teach my own children and extended family members how to preserve or improve their own picture of health.  It is my long term goal to reach out to all I can and to share what I have learned in putting our "puzzles of wellness" back together.                                                      

Why the Holistic Quest?

Five years ago my daughter, Tiffany, began having unexplained pain in her joints as well as suffering with incredible fatigue.  This began shortly after the birth of her fourth baby.  She could no longer run or exercise and was frustrated with her inability to "keep up."  In a search for answers we began a journey of trying to discover, through the medical profession what might be wrong.  We visited various medical specialists, including a Gynecologist, an Orthopedist, a Rheumatologist, and an Oncologists; none of whom had an answer for her.  For two years, we went from doctor to doctor, but no one could identify her problem.

Finally, we found a doctor who was an amazing diagnostician.  She did blood work that had never been addressed before and ultimately came up with a diagnosis of Lyme Disease.  She prescribed antibiotics, including six weeks of infusions three times a week.  After a year of antibiotic therapy, there was no change for the better in her blood work.  During this year Tiffany did lots of reading and began to make dietary changes and to identify issues associated with depletion of good gut bacteria.  She believed her crucial good bacteria was being destroyed by antibiotics.

We decided she would quit the antibiotics and we would look for another answer. I found a medical doctor who had a more holistic approach for us to consider.  He spoke about a combination of supplements, lifestyle changes, balancing hormones, nutrition deficiency correction, and dietary changes.  He happened to also mention essential oils, explaining that in ten years he felt the use of essential oils would greatly surpass that of western medicine.  He went on to explain why he believed what he had just said.  It was at that moment I believed we had an answer to prayer and something we could do to take the place of the antibiotic therapy that had thus far yielded nothing positive.

It was at this time we began researching essential oils and the companies that sold them.  We were the most excited about what we saw in one brand, and then our real journey began taking us to where we are today.  Tiffany's blood work has continued to improve and her symptoms are diminishing.  As we experiment with alternative solutions for other conditions, we continue to be amazed at their effectiveness.

We have done lots of research into many health promoting practices that strengthen our immune systems. We hope to use this blog to share the things we're learning on this journey towards wellness.