JULY 1, 2010 NO MORE, NO LESS... BUT A CUP OF TEA

"I only have to be what I am, no more, or no less" --Robbie Rocheford

A Woman's Spirit is a great book for all to read, not only women.

Thanks Karen. A true statement, 'I Am What I Am' is another way of expressing the same thought. I first heard the song sung by George Hearn at the Palace Theater in 1983 at La Cage. I was in the balcony (a poor student at the time) as tears streamed down my face as the song continued. I began to look at my life. I was frightened and invigorated. La Cage aux Folles is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman. Based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, it focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, (played by George Hearn) his romantic partner and star attraction, and the farcical adventures that ensue when Georges' son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents to meet them. La Cage has revived on Broadway twice to date--always a Broadway hit. For the last two revivals I have sat in the orchestra--Yeah!!

I am what I am
I am my own special creation
So come take a look
Give me the hook
Or the ovation
It's my world
That I want to have a little pride
My world
And it's not a place I have to hide in
Life's not worth a dam
Till I can say
I am what I am

I am what I am
I don't want praise I don't want pity
I bang my own drum
Some think it's noise I think it's pretty
And so what if I love each sparkle and each bangle
Why not see things from a different angle
Your life is a shame
Till you can shout out I am what I am

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the aces sometimes the deuces
It's one life and there's no return and no deposit
One life so it's time to open up your closet
Life's not worth a dam till you can shout out
I am what I am

I am what I am

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses
I deal my own deck sometimes the aces sometimes the deuces
It's one life and there's no return and no deposit
One life so it's time to open up your closet
Life's not worth a dam till you can shout out
I am what I am

I am I am I am good
I am I am I am strong
I am I am I am worthy
I am I am I belong

I am I am I am useful
I am I am I am true
I am I am somebody
I am as good as you

Yes I am




When treating any disease the physician must consider supporting or addressing other issues. Although an antibiotic or an herbal protocol will start to treat the Lyme Disease--other issues need to be addressed. Yesterday I mentioned testing for heavy metals is important. This can be done by a serum (blood) sample as well as a provocative 6 hour urine challenge with a chelator. "Chelate" is Greek, it means to grab onto. The provocative chelator can be either EDTA or DMSA. One must support the patient's gut physiology and test her/him for food and environmental allergies. This is best accomplished by a serum IgG Food RAST and a IgE environmental test. Most individuals who have a chronic infection will probably have Leaky Gut Syndrome. This was explained in the March blogs when discussing anxiety and your gut, insomnia and your gut, and memory and your gut. Please look back at those blogs.

Pain, depression, anxiety and fatigue are important symptoms for patient and health care provider to discuss. As stated in the beginning of this blog, I not only address the medical (allergies, pH and inflammation ) but I also address the psychosocial issues. Since Lyme Disease is debilitating I encourage the patient to discuss their relationships, their financial status, their fears and their spirituality. As always, dietary lifestyle changes are very important. A low glycemic, high antioxidant dietary lifestyle is a great option. I feel it is imperative to find out all the treatments the patient might have had regarding their Lyme Disease before starting in a new practice. The 'best ever',and the 'cure medicine' ads in newsletters need to be discussed.

In my practice, whether solo or at the Atkins Center for Complimentary Medicine, I have seen many different types of treatments ranging from Rife machines to hydrogen peroxide intravenous treatments. I am open to all types of treatments, but I look to those with research and evidence (whether allopathic or alternative) first. Many of these other treatments are non-covered services which will put a financial burden on the patient. Many of these patients grasp for any treatment as they 'are sick and tired of being sick and tired'. I understand this concept. Many patients feel that some practitioners consider their symptoms 'bizarre' and crazy' Some might have been told to see a psychiatrist. It is the responsibility of the practitioner to listen to the patient. Feel for their concerns, fears and hopes. Many cannot manage their own care.
I feel no one should take their personal inventory.

To relax after these four days of blogs, before the Holiday weekend--let's make a cup of tea. Simple tea is a water extract of herbs. It is also known as an 'infusion'.

Pour hot water over one tablespoon of ground or chopped dried herbs. Cover and let steep for 5 - 10 minutes. Then strain and sip. You can use the leaves or flowers of an herb in the garden. Perhaps you have spearmint, mint or lemon balm in the garden. The best herbs used fresh for tea are dandelion, lemon balm, catnip and angelica.

Try calendula. It might be in your garden. Calendula, more commonly know as Marigold, is one of the most common herbs and can be found growing in people's yards throughout North America and Europe. The colorful petals of the calendula have been used in herbal preparations for hundreds of years.In the past, calendula flowers have been used on injuries to reduce inflammation and as an antiseptic against infection. It has also been used as a remedy for a variety of skin problems ranging from skin ulcerations to eczema. Taken orally, calendula has been used to sooth stomach ulcers and inflammation.
Enjoy...

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 30, 2010 BEWITCHED, BOTHERED ...AND BEWILDERED IS LYMES

"IF YOU FIND IN YOUR HEART TO CARE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE YOU WILL HAVE SUCCEEDED"- Maya Angelou


I have found it in my heart to care for another human being. It was something I never thought I would succeed at: romance and love. I am writing this today to thank Rick for the month of June and the celebration of my 50 years. As the month closes, I am full of gratitude. I couldn't find a card to say how I feel. No song is appropriate, but my favorite song was sung (dubbed) by Rita Hayworth in Pal Joey. Not only was the celebration a milestone, but it couldn't have been more special. Rick outdid himself. As the month closes I want to say thank you. You'll never know how much I love you.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
From Pal Joey (sung by Rita Hayworth )
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers

After one whole quart of brandy (NOT)
Like a daisy I awake
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't even shake.

Men are not a new sensation;
I've done pretty well, I think.
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink

I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I could sleep where I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

Lost my heart but what of it?
My mistake I agree.
he's a laugh, but I like it
because the laugh's on me.

A pill he is
But still he is
All mine and I'll keep him until he is
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Like me.

Seen a lot
I mean I lot
But now I'm like sweet seventeen a lot
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

I'll sing to him (my RICK)
Each spring to him
And worship the trousers that cling to him
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

When he talks he is seeking
Words to get off his chest.
Horizontally speaking
He's at his very best.

Vexed again
Perplexed again
Thank God I can't be over-sexed again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

Wise at last
My eyes at last
Are cutting you down to your size at last
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more

Burned a lot
But learned a lot
And now you are broke, though you earned a lot
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more

Couldn't eat
Was dyspeptic
Life was so hard to bear;
Now my heart's antiseptic
Since you moved out of there

Romance-Finis
Your chance-finis
Those ants that invaded my pants-finis
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.


Had to share those good words..Now back to blogging...


LYME DISEASE IS Bewildering. There are not enough physicians treating these tick borne infections. Yes, we know how to give an antibiotic but there are few treating chronic Lyme disease well. When Lyme disease is involved with the co-infections there is overall havoc. There are physicians who have linked Lyme to autism. It may not be the main reason, but can be in the differential. A patient-- whether a child with autism or an adult might have other problems that need to be addressed before the Lyme disease. For example, a diet rich in breads, cakes and sugar causing yeast overgrowth will not help the Lyme. The yeast problem would have to be addressed before treating the actual Lyme disease. Also a patient who has a heavy metal burden with mercury, lead or other toxic metals would have to be treated before or at the same time.

These metals as well as the yeast cause immune deficient states, which then allow the Lyme bacteria to cause havoc on the body. Attention must be given to the other symptoms of the body. The problem I have is that a patient gets a tick bite. Sees their primary doctor. He does the blood tests and treats with antibiotics. The patient over time feels brain fog, muscle aches and pains, and has digestive issues. The patient never thinks it could be Lyme, nor at times does the physician. The patient needs a full work-up. The patient might need to be detoxified. Food and environmental allergies need to be tested. Heavy metals need to be assessed via pre and post 6 hr provocation with a chelator (as per the American College of Advancement of Medicine - ACAM).

A dietary lifestyle change will likely be necessary. The patient needs to be aware what foods can heal the body faster. The patient will need to address ways to decrease stress in their life. The doctor might need to talk to the family to explain about Lyme Disease. The physician needs to explain the chronic effects to the patient and their family. What I am saying is that the physician needs to get involved.

I rotate antibiotics for three months depending on the laboratory results. I might use intravenous antibiotics early in the course of treatment. When I trained, the medical community did not know how to treat Lymes. Some do not believe in using more than one antibiotic. I would seek out a Lyme specialist who treats the disease by both allopathic and alternative treatments. I tend to use two intracellular antibiotics, sometimes with or without flagyl (remember you cannot drink alcohol with flagyl). And I still use doxycycline. Of course not all at the same time. If the doctor uses antibiotics he will have to replace the good bacteria at different times of the day. The good bacteria are probiotics.

So you see-- Lyme Disease is not that simple. It is a complicated disease caused by a small, yet complicated organism...

By the way..
Dr. Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. Hailed as a global renaissance woman, Dr. Angelou is a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Read some of her poems and quotes.

Photo credit: Jill G. (taken June 12, 2010 )
I could not end the month by showing you another tick. Let's end the month on a high note.

Until tomorrow...