Finding Hope in Chronic Illness and Functional Medicine

Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases often go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed. This is partially because Lyme mimics other illnesses such as the flu, manifesting as diverse symptoms including headaches, muscle aches, stomach ulcers, constipation, and joint pain, making diagnosing and treating Lyme very difficult. Left unchecked, Lyme symptoms can worsen, creating a long-running inflammatory response and autoimmune illness. Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which can proliferate to every area in your body. The good news is that with some work and effort, you can successfully treat Lyme disease.

In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with Dr. Todd LePine to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to identifying and treating chronic Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Dr. LePine graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, specializing in Integrative Functional Medicine. He is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner.  Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center, he worked as a physician at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA, for 10 years.  Dr. LePine’s focus at The UltraWellness Center is to help his patients achieve optimal health and vitality by restoring the natural balance to both the mind and the body.  His areas of interest include optimal aging, bio-detoxification, functional gastrointestinal health, systemic inflammation, autoimmune disorders and the neurobiology of mood and cognitive disorders. Dr. LePine teaches around the world, and has given lectures to doctors and patients at   American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG), the University of Miami Integrative Medicine Conference, The Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA, and is on the faculty for American Academy of Anti-Aging  Medicine (A4M).  Dr. LePine is the head of the Scientific Advisory Board for Designs for Health and a consultant for Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory.  He enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping and golfing in the beautiful Berkshires, and is a fitness enthusiast.

This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. Learn more about the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier system at a special price at www.drhyman.com/filter

In this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. LePine discuss:

• Why conventional medicine doesn’t acknowledge chronic Lyme disease

• Why chronic Lyme and other tick-borne illness can present, or exist along with, conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue system, autoimmune issues, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and dementia, multiple sclerosis, SIBO and other gut issues, depression, and more

• What syphilis can teach us about Lyme and other tick-borne illness

• Conventional vs Functional Medicine testing, identification, and treatment for Lyme

• Using botanicals, herbs, sauna, and sunshine exposure to treat Lyme

• Can you get rid of Lyme?

• Off-the-grid therapies for Lyme including stem cells, exosomes, hyperbaric oxygen, hyperthermia, ozone therapy, and peptides 

For more information visit drhyman.com/uwc

Additional Resources:

“7 Strategies To Tackle Lyme Disease”

https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/10/09/7-strategies-to-tackle-lyme-disease/

“Getting to the Root Cause of MS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”

https://drhyman.com/blog/2017/05/08/getting-root-cause-ms-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

“The Myth of Diagnosis”

https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/05/04/the-myth-of-diagnosis/

“Innovative Treatments for Chronic Disease Not Available in the US”

https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/12/12/podcast-ep31/

“My Journey to Functional Medicine”

https://ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/03/20/my-journey-to-functional-medicine/