posted
I was wondering if there are certain foods that trigger or make Lyme worse?
Also are there foods that seem to help Lyme?
And I had read quite a bit about unexplained weight gain/loss as a symptom.
My daughter is 16 and I believe she has had Lyme since about the age of 11... most of her prime growing years. She has not had 'unexplained weight gain/loss" but she didn't grow as I expected.
She is only 4'11 and 96 lbs. I am also petite but am the smallest in my family, however she is much smaller than me, so I expected her to at least grow to my size.
I wonder how Lyme has affected her growth.
Since a very young age she has not liked the taste of meat, and will only eat small amounts of chicken or turkey so she has had mostly a vegetarian diet for several years. I have wondered if that has had a good effect or a bad effect on how the Lyme has progressed in her.
I would love to hear any opinions, or personal experiences on these subjects.
Thanks!
Posts: 19 | From Chicago | Registered: Mar 2008
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Hi Misika,
I'm not sure diet has a direct effect as in causing lyme, but anyone who is sick needs to be on a very nutritious diet. In my case, eating certain foods increased my inflammation and pain.
For everyone, that means cutting out junk food. Our bodies can't handle it and can't afford it.
Now as to meat eating versus vegetarianism and even vegan (no animal products of any kind) I believe it gets much more individual.
I personally have always felt better when I eat my veggies. That has never been truer than since I became sick. As I have studied and learned more about diet, I have come to understand my body is vegetarian. Cruciferous vegetables (brocolli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, asparagus, etc) all help you produce glutathione. Glutathione is needed by the body in order to eliminate toxins. That includes lyme toxins and abx toxins.
Testing reveals I am deficient in the genes required to produce glutathione, so I will always need help through diet and supplement. This alone makes me feel way, way better.
If your daughter prefers veggies. Let her eat lots of them. They are good for everyone and probably especially for her. Raw is the best way to eat fruits and veggies, steamed is second best. Cooking kills all the enzymes and some of the nutrition. I still eat some cooked food. I just can't eat nothing but raw. Fresh and frozen are good. Canned is bad. Organic is best whenever possible.
If she never eats meat, she needs to supplement B-12. I eat meat a couple times a week and doctor still has me supplementing B-12.
Beyond these basics, she should be tested for food sensitivities. Not the skin scratch test. It isn't good for food. Find a doctor who will bloodtest her. My doctor used ALCAT laboratory for my test. We can develop sensitivity to food at any time and it is usually to the foods we love and crave the most.
If she is underweight, you might want to work with a good nutritionist.
The bugs are stealing our nutrients and it is very important that we restock the nutrients. Even though that feeds the bugs, we need those nutrients too and hopefully, by building up our immune system with the nutrients, we will be able to defeat the bugs. For sure, if they deplete our nutrients, we will suffer.
This is just a start. Diet has been my most helpful change in my healing process.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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My daughter loves to ride too it is the only thing she makes sure she has the energy for - no matter what - because it is her passion. And if she doesn't have the energy to ride, she still goes just to lean against him and hug him because she says it makes her feel better just to be around him.
So, you do have trigger foods that make you feel worse. That is what I was wondering.
I know I read about cycles, but I wondered if some of what she was eating was increasing the symptoms or decreasing the symptoms.
And also, if there were any definite foods that nearly everyone finds cause problems so I could remove them from her diet.
I agree with the lots of veggies statement.. unfortunately, she is a super picky eater. She does eat a lot of beans and eggs, but is not big on too many veggies. We are going to have to work on that I think.
Her reason for not eating meat is not that she thinks it is bad for her, or that she doesn't want to eat another living being or any of the normal reasons people are vegetarians.
Her reason has always been "it just feels gross in my mouth".
I guess we have a long road ahead of us.
Posts: 19 | From Chicago | Registered: Mar 2008
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it is the only thing she makes sure she has the energy for - no matter what - because it is her passion. And if she doesn't have the energy to ride, she still goes just to lean against him and hug him because she says it makes her feel better just to be around him. 
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