Lyme disease can often be treated with antibiotics during the initial stages, preventing long-term complications. However, 5-20% of people continue to have symptoms long after contracting Lyme.
Symptoms of Lyme disease can be life-altering and difficult to manage. People search for all sorts of options to get better, including diet and nutrition. Let’s take a look at how a Lyme disease diet can help support a patient’s quality of life.
How does diet affect symptoms of Lyme disease?
Chronic Lyme disease symptoms can ebb and flow, but can still greatly impact someone’s quality of life. Some of the most common symptoms of chronic Lyme disease include:
- Joint pain and swelling or arthritis
- Neck stiffness
- Severe headaches
- Heart palpitations or arrhythmia
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Inflammation of the spinal cord or brain
- Fatigue
Dealing with a chronic illness like Lyme disease can greatly impact immune function. When it comes to managing symptoms of Lyme disease, it’s vital to take steps to support the immune system.
Another big factor that can increase symptoms of Lyme disease is inflammation. This is why many providers will suggest an anti-inflammatory diet. This can look different for everyone – different experts may have differing recommendations. That’s why it’s important to understand how different foods may impact your symptoms.
What is the Lyme diet?
There is no one agreed-upon Lyme diet, but there are some common recommendations. Many experts recommend avoiding foods that can weaken the immune system. Things like processed foods, excess sugar, and alcohol can lead to an overgrowth of yeast, or Candida, which can exacerbate inflammation.
Processed foods usually contain excess sugar, which can feed the biofilms that grow around bacteria. That’s especially true when it comes to Bartonella. When this occurs, it prevents antibiotics from working correctly, as biofilms need to be broken down first. These foods can also suppress the immune system.
Other recommendations include:
- Avoiding dairy
- Prioritizing fruits and vegetables, whether they’re fresh or frozen
- Eating nuts and seeds
- Adding in healthy fats from foods like extra virgin olive oil and eggs
- Staying hydrated with plenty of water and electrolytes when necessary
- Opting for organic foods
- Avoiding added sugar and overly processed foods
Nutrients that are essential for supporting the immune system include protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, zinc, iron, and vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. It can be hard to meet your nutritional needs with diet alone. Most experts recommend taking vitamin supplements, especially if you are on medications that may deplete your body of nutrients. You can get blood tests to see where you may be deficient.
There are different schools of thought about the best approach for a Lyme disease diet. Ultimately everyone has their own individual needs, and it may take time to find what works for you.
Gluten and Lyme disease
Gluten is a protein found in various grain products like wheat, rye, and barley. It’s also been the source of a lot of controversy, especially among people discussing auto-immune disorders.
There has been little research on how gluten may impact someone with Lyme disease. One study found a “modest association” between Lyme infections and Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in response to ingesting gluten. However, this may have been more of a coincidence considering the limited sample size and only a small correlation.
Gluten is considered inflammatory, which can increase symptoms of Lyme. To better understand whether gluten may contribute to your Lyme symptoms, ask your doctor for a test to see if you have an allergy to it. You can also try temporarily cutting out gluten products and seeing if it helps minimize your symptoms.
Using an individualized approach
Although there are a few foods that experts agree can impact symptoms of Lyme, each person has individual needs. Finding the right Lyme disease/ tick-borne disease diet for you may partially be trial and error, but there are tools you can use to help make the process easier.
Getting tested for food allergies can help you and your medical provider determine if cutting out certain foods will actually be helpful. Food is also a huge source of joy and pleasure, and a tool for connecting with your culture and loved ones. While you may need to cut some foods out, it’s more helpful to think of nourishing your body instead of depriving yourself of things you love.
Reach out to your doctor
While we hope this article gives you some insight into how diet and nutrition can impact Lyme disease symptoms, it does not constitute medical advice. Each individual’s needs are different, especially with something as complicated as Lyme disease.
The first step to treating Lyme disease is getting an accurate diagnosis. IGeneX offers the most comprehensive and precise Lyme disease test options, no matter what stage of the condition you’re in.
If you want to learn more about how your diet can impact symptoms of Lyme, be sure to talk to your doctor. Finding a Lyme-literate doctor can make a world of difference in getting the support and care you need.