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MARA WILLIAMS, RN,MSN, ANP-BC

Blog

Dealing with Inflammation

6/18/2015

1 Comment

 
Dealing with Inflammation with Mara Williams Lyme Disease Specialist
Inflammation isn't entirely bad. Acute inflammation — the kind that protects and heals the body after an injury or infection — is essential and normal. The other kind — chronic inflammation — can play a long-lasting role in the body and feeds chronic disease. Inflammation becomes chronic when there is a persistent stimulus. When dealing with any Chronic illness, including Lyme disease and Cancer, detoxification is essential to your health and clearing out inflammation from the body. Toxins not only need to be released, but they have to be "escorted" out of the body or they merely resettle. Additionally, the various organs of the body need to be well supported throughout the process.  The benefits of reducing inflammation are immediate as well as long term.

Taking a good liver support is important for anyone who has any chronic condition. When the liver stops working optimally then toxins tend to recycle again and again rather then leaving the body through the stool. This can make you feel very sick. LVR Formula by Pure Encapsulations is an excellent liver support formula which assists with keeping inflammation down in the liver and helps the liver to work correctly. It is a combination of herbs designed to balance the functioning of the liver.

Proteolytic enzymes are an essential part of treatment for those with chronic inflammation due to any cause. It is especially important for those with chronic infection or cancer. Chronic inflammation has a damaging effect on arteries, which can lead to high cholesterol, heart attacks and strokes. Neprinol AFD
 is a proteolytic enzyme formula which combines several different enzymes in one product. It is great for breaking down Fibrin and Biofilm. Fibrin forms the base of a blood clot and the base of Biofilm which is where bugs are able to hide from treatment. Fibrin is a sign of inflammation and causes the blood to become thicker, increasing the risk for a clot.

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Recommended Dose is 1 to 2 Capsules, 2 times Daily.
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Recommended Dose is 2 Capsules, 2 Times Daily on an Empty Stomach.
SHOP NOW

You can find both of these products (plus many more, and please do not hesitate to CONTACT me with questions and recommendations) on my Health Wave Store at %10 off regular price. You can create an account and start shopping at any time.


Blessings,
Mara
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Lyme Light Radio: Healing After Plague

5/31/2015

2 Comments

 
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Join Mara Williams and Judy Mikovits on Lyme Light Radio 
Wednesday, June 3rd 1PM (PT) 4PM (ET)

LISTEN LIVE HERE
Judy is a rare scientist who refused to compromise her integrity when her research did not bear out on a retrovirus and she went public with this finding. What followed was a nightmare for her when she found herself being scapegoated. Judy has much to say abut retroviruses, chronic illness, Lyme and other chronic infections. Her goal has always been to help people who suffer with illness to heal. 

Judy Mikovits, PhD, earned her BA from university of Virginia and her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from George Washington University. In her 35 years quest to understand and treat chronic diseases, she has studied immunology, natural products chemistry, epigenetics, virology, and drug development. In just over 20 years she rose from a entry-level lab technician to become director of the Lab of Antiviral Drug mechanisms at the National Cancer Institute before leaving to direct the Cancer Biology program at EpiGenX Pharmaceuticals in Santa Barbara, CAlifornia, where she met and married David Nolde in 2000. There in 2006, she became attracted to the plight of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(ME/CFS) and autism and is primarily responsible for demonstrating the relationship between immune based inflammation and these diseases. She has published over fifty scientific papers. 


Join Mara Williams and Judy Mikovits on Lyme Light Radio 
Wednesday, June 3rd 1PM (PT) 4PM(ET)

LISTEN LIVE HERE
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Lyme Light Radio: Lyme Loonies

5/18/2015

1 Comment

 
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Join Mara Williams and Lyme Loonies Creator David Skidmore on Lyme Light Radio Wednesday, May 20th 1PM (PT) 4PM (ET) 

LISTEN LIVE HERE
David Skidmore, Lyme sufferer and creator of Lyme Loonies, knows that there are lots of Lyme patients out there dealing with the misery, multi-symptoms and mystery of Lyme. Something else he knows is that a daily dose of comedy can bring laughter and hope to those suffering. Lyme Loonies is a series of cartoons that capture Lyme patients at their most vulnerable and desperate while hanging on to their sense of humor. The cartoons are David's way of expressing hope, humor, politics, and, yes, even revolt at the tug-of-war in which Lyme patients find themselves regarding funding, diagnosis, treatment, education, a cure, prevention and public apathy. He writes and draws about Lyme disease as he sees it, hears it, and feels it.  David has had Lyme disease for almost six years now, along with every co-infection, and major neurological complications.

David stresses that Lyme Loonies is not about making fun of those inflicted with the disease. He states "I know first-hand the pain, suffering and confusion that Lyme can cause."  
David Skidmore quote about Lyme Loonies
David got the name for Lyme Loonies when he read an article about a well-known doctor stepping down as head of research on Lyme with a federal organization. The doctor wrote "I will certainly miss all of you people - the scientists, but not the Lyme loonies." David thought "Here is a doctor of significant power and influence regarding the current and future state of our health, a man who took the Hippocratic Oath to honor the profession of medicine and, specifically, to cause no harm." David saw this use of Lyme Loonies as disparaging and a cause for a lot of harm both emotionally and scientifically. He believed that taking it back was the only thing to do, that it would make sense to embrace the term and use it for the community.  He goes on to say "That was the remark that launched the Lyme Loonies cartoons. He will see that name and know that we will not be diminished by a flippant phrase. We have embraced it as ours!" 

Lyme disease is controversial and David has certainly not shied away from showing that. Lyme Loonies are cartoons (soon to be published book) created in solidarity with those familiar with Lyme disease. They are cartoons to share with family, friends and those who are unaware of Lyme, because education and awareness will bring the change we all want, need and deserve.



Join Mara Williams and Lyme Loonies Creator David Skidmore on Lyme Light Radio
Wednesday, May 20th 1PM (PT) 4PM (ET)

LISTEN LIVE HERE
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Lyme Light Radio: Cannabis Oils for Health and Healing

4/20/2015

7 Comments

 
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Join me on Lyme Light Radio this Wednesday (4/22/15) for a cutting edge discussion on healing with Cannabis. My guest, Constance Finley, an expert in blending Cannabis oils for health and healing, will educate us about the different uses.

Constance Finley is the founder and CEO of Constance Pure Botanical Extracts - a medicinal cannabis collective that manufactures and distributes what is broadly recognized as the highest quality cannabis extracts made today. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she taught Jungian Psychology and worked as a child and family therapist. She switched course to secure extensive graduate training in tax, accounting and finance. She managed money for wealthy individuals and then founded a company pioneering the use of tax credits to house the working poor from corporate equity investments.

At 44, a severe and life long autoimmune condition brought Constance’s career to a halt. After ten years of being housebound and incorrectly diagnosed, she found incremental relief through vaporizing cannabis. That led her to found the collective that is Constance Pure Botanical Extracts in 2008. Her original vision of an old-fashioned herbal apothecary is realized in CPBE’s multiple strains of both THC and CBD cannabis extracts. The company is a pioneer in improving and professionalizing the extraction of standardized cannabis oil from multiple and consistently available strains. CPBE’s formally trained staff coach and support patients who are primarily referred by oncologists, rheumatologists, neurologists and other health practitioners. A leader in the medicinal cannabis therapeutics industry, Finley and her collective increases access and education to those in need of the highest quality cannabis therapeutics.

Please join me Wednesday April 22 at 1 PM PDT/4 PM EDT


Blessings,
Mara

LISTEN TO THIS ARCHIVED SHOW HERE
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Let's Really Clear it Up

3/17/2015

2 Comments

 
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The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) have very different guidelines for the treatment of Lyme disease. An article recently posted in the Huffington Post entitled "Lyme Disease Myths: 9 Things You should Know About The Tick-Borne Disease" follows the IDSA treatment guidelines, which are misleading. As a result, many people are not given the correct diagnosis, treatment, or recognition and are severely impacted for the rest of their lives.

Lyme disease is real and prevalent. The ILADS treatment guidelines treats for both Lyme disease and considers chronic Lyme disease a very difficult group of infections to eradicate. They believe in using antibiotics over the long term along with different nutritional supplements, which the IDSA disagrees with in every aspect. Unfortunately, for the consumer, this controversy can mean the difference between health and years of chronic illness and suffering. I encourage everyone to discern for themselves which group to follow, to dig deeper, and to study all the information out there. Education is the key to stopping this widespread epidemic. 

Below you will find the corrections to each "myth". I have kept the word "myth" because that is how the Lyme subjects are described in the article.

Myth: All Ticks Carry Lyme Disease

HP Article: There are a number of types of ticks, but only blacklegged ticks (commonly called deer ticks) carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lone star ticks, the American dog tick, the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the brown dog tick do not transmit the disease.


The Reality: The deer tick is not the only type of tick to carry Lyme disease and other co-infections. All types of insects carry Lyme, including all types of ticks, Mosquito's and fleas. The CDC criteria that defines Lyme disease misses 90% of infections.

Myth: All Deer Tick Bites Result In Lyme Disease

HP Article: First of all, not all deer ticks are infected with the Lyme disease bacterium. "In areas where [Lyme disease] is very common, one out of every four or five ticks might be infected," says Paul Mead, M.D., MPH, chief of epidemiology and surveillance activity at the CDC. "In other areas where it's much rarer, that may be more like one in 100."

Second, if a tick is removed within 24 hours of biting, risk of infection drops dramatically. "It's important to take a definitive step quickly," says Mead. "If you look for ticks every day and -- [if you] find them -- remove them, you aren't likely to get Lyme disease."

The Reality: To report that Lyme is rare in other parts of the world besides the N.E. portion of the U.S. is a fallacy. Lyme is now found worldwide, they have even found ticks in Antartica with Lyme. It is common in every state in the nation. In ticks sweeps last year about 90% were infected in the N.E. and 40-50% in Northern California. Secondly, it has been documented by Lyme Literate providers that infection can occur in less than 2 hours. Remember that Lyme disease is carried in the tick's saliva so that as soon as the ticks bites and embeds it can potentially infect a person.

Myth: The Best Way To Remove A Tick Is To Burn It 

HP Article: Folk remedies like burning the tick off of your skin or suffocating it with nail polish just prolong the window of time for that bugger to infect you. Instead, use tweezers to remove the offending insect as quickly as possible. Mead explains that the CDC recommends grasping the tick with the tweezers as close to the skin as possible, then pulling upward without twisting. Be sure to clean the area after -- and your hands!

The Reality: This advise is correct. Be especially careful to get the head out, and careful to avoid squeezing the body of the tick as that is the way co-infections are injected into the body. Lyme is found in the saliva of the tick so completely removing the head is very important in stopping more transmission of infection.

Myth: You Only Have Lyme Disease If You Have The Telltale Bull's Eye Rash

HP Article: While it is a very common sign of Lyme disease, and perhaps the most obvious one, not everyone develops the characteristic rash. It shows up in about 80 to 90 percent of people, according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF), and usually appears as a red blotch with a red ring emanating from the site of the tick bite. It may be warm to the touch but usually isn't itchy or painful. If you've been bitten by a tick and notice other possible symptoms, like fevers, headaches and muscle pain, consult a doctor as soon as possible.

However, it's not unheard of for someone not to develop the rash -- or to simply not see it, according to Mead, especially if it's somewhere hidden like the scalp. "The symptoms sound like flu symptoms, but they occur in the late spring and early summer," Mead says. "If you get those symptoms and live in an area where Lyme disease is common, you may want to consider that possibility."

The longer Lyme disease goes undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated, the more severe the symptoms can become. Untreated infection can cause a paralysis to facial muscles called Bell's palsy, irregular heartbeats, arthritis and short-term memory problems, says Mead.

The Reality: The Bull's Eye rash is seen as little as 20 percent of the time. If you see the rash you do have Lyme. It is diagnostic. Any flu like symptoms, joint pain, or nerve changes like burning or drooping are signs of Lyme.

Myth: There Is No Cure For Lyme Disease

HP Article: When treated with antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, Lyme disappears in almost all people -- and quickly, too. But in a small number of people, symptoms like muscle and joint pain or memory problems persist. Researchers are currently trying to determine how long a person should be treated with antibiotics in these instances of what is sometimes referred to as "chronic lyme disease," according to the National Institutes of Health.

Experts don't know the exact cause of this cluster of lingering symptoms, more properly called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, Mead explains. There is ongoing debate among experts as to whether or not ongoing symptoms reflect continuing infection or "whether it is a post-infectious complication," he says. Imagine, he explains, a person who has broken his leg. If it doesn't heal right, it's not that it's still broken, but it may continue to cause pain or weakness. So too might a prior Lyme infection cause continuing discomfort. Studies have shown, however, that further treatment with antibiotics has no benefit -- and can be harmful.

The Reality: If it is an acute infection and is immediately treated with 6-8 weeks of antibiotics, the chronic form can usually be prevented. If you have symptoms then taking antibiotics until all symptoms are gone should be considered. The disconnect between the two groups who talk about and treat Lyme disease is huge. The Lyme-literate group disagrees with the post Lyme syndrome diagnosis, and believes Chronic Lyme is an active infection that includes multiple infectious agents, and that antibiotics and other supplements are necessary to heal from it. There are many studies that prove the persistence of Lyme and other co- infections. The longer a person goes untreated the more difficult it is to recover. Lyme does not resolve on it's own. It can change form and lie dormant in the body until something triggers infection, like another tick bite.

Myth: A Blood Test Is The Best Way To Diagnose Lyme Disease

HP Article: It depends on how long after a tick bite we're talking about, says Mead. "The most widely-used test for Lyme disease doesn't test for the organism itself, but for antibodies that your immune system makes," he says. "When you are first infected, your body hasn't had time to make those antibodies, and you can test negative in the early stages of the disease."


If, however, someone has been infected for months or even years without knowing it, -- say they go to a doctor for symptoms of arthritis and don't even recall having a summer fever the year before -- "then the test is quite good for detecting infection," he says.

The Reality: Most testing for Lyme disease is poor with many false negatives.The only reliable test for Lyme is from Advance Labs. It is a culture and costs $600.00. The other tests are not reliable and do not rule out Lyme with a negative test. Igenex Lab in California also has more reliable testing than most national labs. The state of Virginia now mandates that providers inform patients of this fact. 

Myth: You Can Get Lyme Disease Everywhere In The U.S.

HP Article: More than 97 percent of all cases of Lyme disease occur in the northeastern and north-central parts of the country, says Mead. Your chances of being bitten by an infected tick outside of those regions are very small. While there have indeed been reported cases in nearly all 50 states, Lyme disease is reported by state of residence, not necessarily the state of infection. A child from Wyoming who spends the summer in Pennsylvania with Grandma and comes down with Lyme disease will count as a reported case for Wyoming, says Mead, even though her chances of getting Lyme in her homestate are tiny.

The Reality: It is true that you can get Lyme anywhere in the U.S. and other places. It is found worldwide. It is a fallacy to say that 97% of all infections occur in the NE of the US. Lyme is in every state in the country. A study done by U.C. Berkeley in the early 90's proved the existence of Lyme, Babesia, and Erhlichia in Sonoma Valley in California.

Myth: Lyme Disease Can Spread Between People

HP Article: From time to time you do see a husband and a wife, for example, who both come down with Lyme disease around the same time, says Mead, but there's no solid evidence to support the idea that one of them passed it to the other. It's much more likely that they were both bitten by ticks, especially since young ticks can be so small, he says.

The Reality: Lyme and other co-infections can be transmitted sexually; through blood by organ donation and blood transfusion; through the placenta to a fetus; and through breast feeding. This has been documented in studies. The CDC is concerned about the transmission of Babesia and Ehrlichia in the blood supply, but still does not test for Lyme. 

Myth: You Can Get Lyme Disease From A Pet

HP Article: Fido and Fluffy can get Lyme disease, but there is no evidence to suggest pets can spread the disease to humans. However, "pets are important vehicles for ticks to get into the household and come into contact with humans," Mead says. Pet owners may want to consider tick control powders, sprays, collars or other products for their furry friends.

The Reality: Your pets can carry the tick into your home, crawl on you and bite. Make sure to always check your pet for ticks after walks, hikes, or after being in any area a tick could catch a ride. Most products do not prevent the tick from grabbing on, only from biting.  Additionally, if your cat or other pet scratches or bites you and is infected, it can transmit that infection to you. 

It is so important to become informed about the epidemic of Lyme disease. Go to Lymedisease.org and ILADS.org for more information. To ensure you completely recover see a Lyme-literate provider. It could make all the difference in your life.


Blessings, Mara

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    Mara Williams

    Understanding Complex Chronic Illness. Help with Tick-Borne Disease, Biotoxin Illness, Hormone Imbalance using Integrative Therapies.


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  • Home
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