How to Prevent and Heal Lyme and Its Co-Infections

June 6, 2018

Dr. Sunjya Schweig, M.D. is a board-certified physician who has been studying, teaching, and practicing integrative and Functional Medicine for over 20 years. In 2014 he joined forces with Chris Kresser to launch the California Center for Functional Medicine, offering patients an investigative approach to healthcare. He is also the founding Chair of the Integrative Medicine Committee for the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Bay Area Lyme Foundation.

On this podcast, Dr. Schweig shares the personal journey that resulted in years of focused study and his current expertise in Lyme Disease. He discusses the factors that interfere with getting the right treatment, including political pressure and inadequate testing protocols. He also offers his best resources for keeping yourself and your loved ones safe from tick-borne illness.

Here’s the outline of this interview with Sunjya Schweig:

[00:00:05] Mission Heirloom.

[00:03:40] California Center for Functional Medicine, Chris Kresser; Podcast: How to Become a Health Coach (And Why Health Coaching Will Transform Healthcare).

[00:05:28] Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine; Mark Hyman, Patrick Hanaway, The Institute for Functional Medicine.

[00:06:00] Article: Topol, Eric J. "Individualized medicine from prewomb to tomb." Cell 157.1 (2014): 241-253.

[00:08:15] Kalish Institute of Functional Medicine; ADAPT Health Coach Training Program.

[00:08:53] Ray Stricker, Richard Horowitz.

[00:09:29] Clymb Health.

[00:09:53] Oura Ring.

[00:13:56] Hill Park Integrative Medical Center; Brian Bouch.

[00:18:16] Erythema migrans (bullseye rash), <50% of people.

[00:21:34] Optimum Health Institute.

[00:22:33] Chronic Lyme.

[00:22:51] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA).

[00:24:14] Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

[00:25:18] Rhesus monkey study: Embers, Monica E., et al. "Persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi in rhesus macaques following antibiotic treatment of disseminated infection." PloS one 7.1 (2012): e29914.

[00:25:44] Ying Zhang at Johns Hopkins, Kim Lewis at Northeastern University; Monica Embers at Tulane University. [00:26:24] Testing: a major problem; ELISA test; Western Blot.

[00:29:36] ELISPOT testing.

[00:30:18] Study: Johnson, Barbara JB, Mark A. Pilgard, and Theresa M. Russell. "Assessment of new culture method for detection of Borrelia species from serum of Lyme disease patients." Journal of clinical microbiology 52.3 (2014): 721-724. CDC response: Concerns Regarding a New Culture Method for Borrelia burgdorferi Not Approved for the Diagnosis of Lyme Disease.

[00:30:27] Lyme wars.

[00:34:34] Book: Why Can't I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease, by Richard Horowitz.

[00:40:53] Preventing Lyme.

[00:42:35] California Department of Public Health website.

[00:43:54] Lemon eucalyptus oil, permethrin.

[00:44:16] Environmental Working Group on DEET.

[00:46:14] Tick identification, duration of attachment, location.

[00:47:38] TickEncounter for identification.

[00:48:29] Tickreport.com for testing; Bay Area Lyme Foundation.

[00:49:58] Nate Nieto, Dan Salkeld Study: Salkeld, Daniel J., et al. "Disease risk & landscape attributes of tick-borne Borrelia pathogens in the San Francisco Bay Area, California." PloS one 10.8 (2015): e0134812.

[00:51:12] Ixodes tick - always get it tested.

[00:53:23] Study: Citera, Maryalice, Phyllis R. Freeman, and Richard I. Horowitz. "Empirical validation of the Horowitz multiple systemic infectious disease syndrome questionnaire for suspected Lyme disease." International journal of general medicine 10 (2017): 249; Horowitz Medical Questionnaire.

[00:57:42] International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS); lymedisease.org.

[00:58:14] ccfmed.com; drschweig,com; Twitter: @drschweig.