A Patient, Practitioner, and Expert's Perspective on Supporting Gut Health During and After Lyme Treatment My own experience with Lyme disease was similar. My immune system, concentration, mood, and sleep soon suffered as a result of what appeared to be a straightforward gut imbalance. I was fortunate to find an exceptional group of practitioners who assisted me in regaining my vitality. In this journey, restoring gut health was a crucial component.
The gut microbiome and the crucial role it plays in numerous vital body functions piqued my interest quickly. It acts as a gatekeeper to control what enters the body and what leaves. Additionally, it is the location of between seventy and eighty percent of the body's immune cells (yes, that's right!). and prevents pathogens from entering our bodies through the digestive system by acting as a first line of defense.
Even more fascinating is that this beneficial gut bacteria aid in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. The gut produces a significant amount of dopamine and tryptophan, as well as over 90% of the body's happiness hormone serotonin.
I came across Omni-Biotic, a leading European brand with a line of clinically tested, highly effective probiotics. Their approach to probiotics intrigued me, and after taking Omni-Biotic, I noticed an immediate improvement. I had no idea that a few years later, I would work with the Omni-Biotic team to introduce the brand to the United States!
As my past and present collide, writing this article feels like a full-circle experience. It is an honor to educate this Global Lyme Alliance community about the amazing world of the gut microbiome, an organization that was instrumental in my Lyme journey.
In this blog post, I collaborate with Dr. Michelle Maddux, a clinical consultant at Omni-Biotic and a Naturopathic Doctor, and Jerry Simons, a physician assistant at the Morrison Center in New York City who is an expert on tick-borne diseases and share advice on how to support gut health during and after Lyme treatment.
A quick overview of the best practices for maintaining a healthy gut:
• A stool test to learn about the health and composition of the microbiome in the gut; • High-quality probiotics like Omni-Biotic to restore the flora in the gut; • An elimination diet to eliminate inflammatory foods; • Supplements that support gut health to help with digestion and elimination; • Fiber to feed the good bacteria and support bowel movements. To combat the pathogens transmitted by ticks, these antibiotics are required. Antibiotics, on the other hand, do not distinguish between "good" and "bad" bacteria. The number and variety of beneficial bacteria in the gut can be significantly reduced by even a brief course of antibiotics or herbal antimicrobials. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that diarrhea and discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract are among the most typical antibiotic-related side effects. Sadly, the effects on the gut are worse the longer the antibiotic is used and the stronger the antibiotic itself.
As part of their disease profile, some Lyme patients also experience gastrointestinal symptoms. A clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease was found in a review of 22 patients who had "a history of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms coupled with multiple organ system complaints." The question of whether the Lyme or co-infection pathogens themselves can cause gastrointestinal problems or whether those problems are secondary effects of an overstimulated immune system and systemic inflammation is still in its very early stages of research.
We spoke with Physician Assistant Jerry Simons, who works at the Morrison Center in New York City and specializes in integrative medicine, for this article. With more than 20 years of experience in integrative medicine, vector-borne disease, and hospital-based surgical care for patients with gastrointestinal illnesses, Simons is an expert in tick-borne diseases. He thinks that about half of his Lyme patients also have problems with their gut at some point. According to Simons, "my patients frequently experience intermittent diarrhea and constipation." In addition, he emphasizes that issues with the gut frequently have an impact on other body systems as well, particularly the immune system and the gut-brain axis. It affects other body systems. The problem gets worse the longer it goes untreated in the gut.
Tips for restoring and sustaining the gut microbiome Based on my own experience with Lyme and the knowledge I gained from Dr. Maddux and Jerry Simons, the following are some suggestions for restoring and sustaining the gut microbiome.
Stool test A thorough stool test is like looking inside your body. It can give you a lot of information about how healthy your gut microbiome is. According to Dr. Maddux, who has worked in stool test diagnostics for a considerable amount of time, an effective stool test reveals markers that indicate overall intestinal health, as well as whether you have sufficient "good" bacteria and whether pathogenic or opportunistic bacteria and pathogens are present. By repairing the gut barrier and restoring healthy bacterial diversity while simultaneously eliminating pathogens that may be contributing factors to your intestinal symptoms, these insights can help tailor a specific gut repair protocol for you.
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