The body consists of cells, including free radicals, which are oxygen-filled cells with an uneven number of electrons. Because they are missing an electron, they are unstable. To balance themselves, they go on a mission to steal electrons from the other cells in your body. In the short time that they are active, they do a lot of damage to cells and DNA.
The damage free radicals create makes you more susceptible to infections and diseases and has been linked to the adverse effects of aging. While the body’s metabolism produces free radicals, they can also develop due to exposure to environmental toxins, including viruses.
Free radicals, when balanced with antioxidants, can benefit the body by fighting off pathogens. But when imbalanced, they create oxidative stress in the body.
Oxidative Stress and Lyme Disease
If there aren’t enough antioxidants to stabilize free radicals, oxidative stress can lead to various diseases over time and contributes to early signs of aging. It can lead to inflammatory conditions, and if you have Lyme disease, it can exacerbate your symptoms.
Usually, when inflammation is triggered in the body to fight pathogens, the inflammation goes away once it has done its job. However, if you have oxidative stress, you can experience a constant triggering of inflammation, which leads to chronic inflammation.
With Lyme disease, this leads to painful, debilitating symptoms.
The good news is that there is a way to reduce oxidative stress, repair cells, and overcome the effects of Lyme disease with glutathione.
Glutathione Benefits Explained
Glutathione is an antioxidant. It can be found in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria. It helps fight the free radicals causing so much damage.
Glutathione exists in the body at the highest levels in the liver, making it a great detoxifying agent. The body naturally makes glutathione, and we consume it through the healthy foods we eat. However, most people do not get efficient amounts of glutathione naturally to eliminate Lyme inflammation.
Other than liver detoxification, glutathione provides support in healing liver inflammation, herxheimer die-off reactions, brain fog, and nerve damage. It also defends against the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria that lead to Lyme disease.
Glutathione protects mitochondria that produce energy. It also helps cells regenerate and heal themselves. This is particularly useful for improving skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. It can also lighten skin, reduce wrinkles, and maintain elasticity.
There are still even more benefits. Low levels of glutathione affect brain health. Lyme disease is considered a neurological illness, but glutathione has been shown to improve it. Because glutathione can reduce damage to arteries, like lowering bad cholesterol, it may lower your risk for heart disease. Furthermore, it has been linked to improving COPD and athletic performance.
IV Glutathione Therapy and Lyme Disease
If you have Lyme disease, the glutathione in your body is likely depleted. Otherwise, you would have less trouble fighting the infection and inflammation that comes with it. So, if you can raise the level of glutathione in your body, natural repair and protection can occur.
You can increase glutathione by consuming foods high in antioxidants. It may be challenging to consume enough food each day to fight a Lyme infection. For some, intravenous or IV glutathione therapy is needed.
Working with a Lyme literate doctor, you will be given glutathione treatments directly into your bloodstream. This process promotes immediate combat against oxidative stress. Some doctors combine glutathione with high doses of vitamin c and other nutrients known to fight inflammation.
Although diet alone can’t provide all the nutrients needed, it is an integral part of healing.
Antioxidant Diet for Lyme Disease
The Lyme Diet strengthens the immune system rather than weakens it. Two substances to exclude from the diet are sugar and gluten. They are known to cause inflammation, something you are trying to eliminate.
Every person’s Lyme diet will be different, however, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some people may be able to tolerate foods others cannot. It may take some trial and error to figure out which foods make you feel better or worse. Tips for creating a Lyme diet protocol include a focus on hydration. Drinking a lot of water can reduce inflammation and flush toxins.
Although it is called a Lyme diet, try not to think of it as a diet, but more as a lifestyle. Everything you consume should provide some form of nourishment to the body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great source of nutrients. Also, think about using nutritional supplements as part of your diet.
Supplements for Lyme Disease
In one study, Ghanaian quinine and Japanese knotweed effectively killed Lyme bacteria after just one week of treatment. There are many other immune-boosting supplements too. Vitamins A, E, B1, and D are necessary for helping the body fight infections. Also, chlorella, oregano, cinnamon bark, selenium, folate, iron, and zinc can help.
When working with your doctor on adding supplements to your diet, make sure you buy the right brand. In many cases, a brand name is not a big deal. But with supplements, it’s better to go with a brand that is known for quality.
Your doctor may also provide additional antioxidant treatments to support IV glutathione therapy.
Other Antioxidant Treatments
The goal of any antioxidant treatment is to reduce or eliminate oxidative stress in the body. Advanced hydrogen therapy involves inhaling hydrogen nasally to make free radical cells less reactive and reduce inflammation.
Detox therapies like chelation, manual lymphatic drainage, and body purification protocols can enhance glutathione treatment results. Detox eliminates heavy metals, excess fluids, and waste that contribute to inflammation in the body.
If you want to increase the glutathione levels to fight Lyme disease symptoms better, you can get started by contacting a Lyme literate doctor. Together, you can create a treatment plan that includes IV glutathione therapy, antioxidant protocols to counterbalance free radicals, healthy detox activities, and lifestyle changes so you can see positive results in a short time.