You’ve taken the prescribed medications, followed the herbal protocols, been religious with your diet, but you’re still not feeling great.

Maybe you’ve spoken to your Lyme-literate doctor or healthcare team about further testing and maybe something just keeps getting missed.

However, the answer may be simpler than you think. Lyme and other coinfections are multifaceted and complex persistent infections that can wreak havoc on your body. And part of that havoc is how it affects your immune system, hormone system and sleep pattern.

This is why I tell my patients to listen to their bodies and pay attention to those cues when something isn’t working well for you, so you can make the necessary changes.

But one of my big lessons from having Lyme disease was that it was not really about my diagnosis. It’s been about healing from within.

At the time of my relapse, I was not sleeping well, eating well and was stressed out. It was my reminder to look at my environment and pay attention to the things that were helping me heal or breaking me down.

Whether it’s Lyme disease or another chronic illness, it is important to examine your environment and ask what it is you need in order to heal.


Clean Environment

Focus on Your Environment to Promote Healing

How can I get my body to work with me and not against me? Because another part of overcoming any chronic illness is giving your body a safe place to heal.

This is when your environment comes in. It includes everything from the home you live in to the people you surround yourself with. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a clean, safe environment to help you on your journey toward wellness.

Toxic building and toxic people undermine your immune system and make it more difficult to get well.

I am a big fan of Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up, where she focuses on helping people clear out their clutter. For the sake of your health, here are some steps you can take to help clean up the toxic clutter in your life:


Toxic Perfume Products

Remove Toxic Products

Get rid of toxic products around your home, such as air fresheners, perfumes, bathroom cleaners, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals that might be harmful to your health.

Many of these chemicals contain ingredients that damage your immune system, nervous system and are endocrine disruptors that make it more difficult to get well.


EMF Radiation

Reduce Your EMF Exposure

Turn off the WiFi when not needed and reduce your EMF exposure.

While we live in a technological world and its almost impossible to function without our smart devices, but the added EMF’s may be too much for some sensitive individuals.

Try to avoid using wireless devices, like cordless phones, Bluetooth earpieces and cell phones (holding up to your ear).

Try using corded products instead that have less EMF’s.


Healthy Relationships

Focus on Healthy Relationships

Distance yourself from friends or family who are in disbelief of your illness.

Lyme is a complicated illness and for those who have not been in our shoes, is hard for them to understand our invisible illness.

Having healthy relationships with people who are supportive is more beneficial than hanging on to toxic relationships that only make you more stressed and feel worse than you already do.


Support Network

Build a Support Network

Find a positive support network that makes you feel welcome and help reduce your feelings of anxiety or depression.

Depending on the way you process your feelings, a support network could be one that is a bit more serious, while others may be better for those to choose to integrate humor as therapy.

This can include online support networks, a private therapist or even a close friend. Find what works for you.

In Conclusion

Lyme Disease thrives when the immune system is dysfunctional. Take these small steps to start a better path to healing. Lyme Disease is not just about the diagnosis. Lifestyle changes, both physical and mental help improve your quality of life. The key is listening to your body, believing what you are experiencing and building an environment of hope and wellness. Give yourself permission to heal.