More Pumpkin Recipes

Yummy Pumpkin Recipes

Pesto

This dish is great for your heart, and also terrific for flu season: both garlic and pumpkin seeds are high in antioxidants, and the pumpkinseeds contain zinc, essential for fighting viruses and bacteria.

1 whole bulb garlic (about 8-10 cloves)

4 T. (60 ml.) extra virgin olive oil, separated

1/2 cup (120 ml.) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), lightly roasted

3/4 cup (180 ml.) loosely packed cilantro or parsley (or basil)

2 T. (30 ml.) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. (5 ml.) lemon zest

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Cut the top off the garlic to expose the cloves inside. Place the garlic on a square of aluminum foil or in a garlic baker and drizzle with one tablespoon (15 ml.) of the olive oil. Wrap in foil or cover the baker and bake for about 40 minutes, until soft and dark golden. Let cool.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor or blender, whir the pumpkin seeds, cilantro or parsley, lemon juice, zest, and remaining oil until almost smooth. Squeeze the garlic from the bottom toward the top so the cooked cloves are pushed out of the skin; add the garlic to the processor and blend again until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Best served at room temperature. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Makes about 1/2 cup.

http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2008/11/03/roasted-garlic-and-pumpkinseed-pesto/

Pumpkin Stuffed with Millet and Fruit
(not grain free)

2 cups (500 mL) raw millet or rice

1 cup (250 mL) raisins
Sherry (for soaking raisins)
1 large pumpkin, about 14 inches (35 cm) in diameter
3 oz (80 g) butter

3/4 lb (1/3 kg) apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 lb (1/3 kg) pears, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup (187 mL) slivered almonds

1/2 cup (125 mL) dried apricots, chopped

4 Tbsp (20 mL) mild honey
1/2-1 tsp (2-5 mL) cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
1/2 tsp (2 mL) mace
1/2 tsp (2 mL) allspice

1/2 tsp (2 mL) cardamom

1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper
sea salt to taste

Cook millet. Soak raisins in sherry, draining after 30 minutes. Cut out top of pumpkin and remove all seeds and strings. Using a spoon, carefully scrape out a layer of the flesh from the inside of the pumpkin. Remove about one pound and dice. Steam until tend

er, about 10 minutes, and set aside.

Heat two tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy frying pan and

sauté apples, pears, almonds and apricots about five minutes. Add two tablespoons honey, spices, cooked millet, steamed pumpkin and sea salt to taste and cook together another few minutes, stirring. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining butter and stir in remaining honey. Add a little cinnamon and brush inside of pumpkin with this. Spoon filling into pumpkin and replace lid. Place on an oiled baking sheet or in a large baking dish and bake one hour at 375ºF. Place on a large serving platter, surround with flowers and serve.

Source: alive Magazine (pre-2000)

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

After whipping up a delicious side for dinner I had to do something with all those pumpkin seeds. There’s certainly nothing wrong with good old baked and salted pumpkin seeds, but I w
as looking for something with a little more pizazz. When I stumbl
ed upon this one for sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds it’s like it was calling my name. Sweet and spicy? It’s one of my favorite taste sensations.
The process of making them is pretty simple. Baking the seeds takes the longest, but once you get past that it’s pretty quick. Mmm and the result is super tasty. First you taste the sweetness of sugar, ginger and cinnamon followed up by the cumin, cayenne and the roasted flavor of the baked seeds. These would make a great party sn
ack.
from martha
http://eatmakeread.com/2008/10/24/sweet-spicy-pumpkin-seeds/
1 medium pumpkin
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pumpkin open from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Separate flesh from seeds, and reserve the flesh for another use. Pumpkin should yield 1 cup seeds. Spread seeds on parchment in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne.
3Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Ad
d pumpkin seeds and remaining 2
tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds.
4Transfer to bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool.
These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I may try this recipe for the Sweet and Spicy Sees with honey, or even w/o the sweet.

The Great Canadian News Special from CTV ~ Out of the Wild

CTV aired a very well done news special on Lyme Disease in Canada on November 14 2009.
The W5 staff put together an overview of a few patients and what they have to do to get treatment.

David Leggett used to love the outdoors. He was a healthy, active, family man who enjoyed camping trips with his wife and two daughters. His job as a high school principal came with a long summer vacation -- the perfect time to enjoy Canada's vast stretches of wilderness.
That all changed in July 2004, after camping in a provincial park near Sudbury, Ont. "We were out hiking and then one day I couldn't hike anymore and my knee ballooned up. I felt really, really strange. I had no energy," Leggett recalled.
By October, Leggett was too ill to work. After doing some research on his own he suspected he might have Lyme disease -- but his doctors told him that was impossible because it was too rare in Ontario and it didn't exist where he had been camping. They were wrong.

To read the rest of this article and view the W5 News special click here.

Researching Homeopathy

Vitality Magazine recently published an article entitled in their July/Aug issue entitled, Homeopathic Medicine for Treating Lyme Disease. It summarizes a little about the overall picture with Lyme Disease and includes a couple of case studies that used Homeopathy for treatment.. A well written piece giving enough background to orient the reader. Kudos for helping educate us about homeopathy and how it can be used often for 'difficult' cases.

The following excerpt is taken from the article:

"While prescribing homeopathic remedies for chronic illnesses is individualized and dependent on a collection of specific symptoms expressed by each individual, there are situations in which remedies can be used to treat large numbers of people affected by the same illness. Epidemics are prime examples where many display common symptoms. In the case of the flu epidemic, the collective symptoms tend to correspond with the remedies Rhus-toxicodendron and Gelsemium.
In the case of Lyme disease, the collective physical symptoms are homeopathically represented by the remedies Ledum Palustre, Kalmia, and Rhododendron.
Having said this, there is still a high probability for individualized expression of Lyme disease. We are all born with inherent weaknesses and predispositions to illnesses, known as miasms. As such, we each experience and express chronic illnesses a little differently than the next person.
For best results and complete recovery from Lyme disease, consult a trained Classical Homeopath."
Vitality Magazine's article: http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/homeopathic-medicine-for-treating-lyme-disease/

link to Vitality Mag's July/Aug issue article on Homeopathy and Lyme Disease

Here the remedies mentioned in this article.
Is is vital to stress that homeopathy is best administered by a trained Homeopath. The strength and frequency of dosages may bring on symptoms that the patient is not prepared for. Even over the counter strength remedies, if used often enough can cause a 'proving' of the remedy or other complications may arise. Always take homeopathic remedies under the advice of a licensed Homeopath. The information on this blog is not meant to be medical advice- please consult your medical doctor before using any homeopathics.


1) Rhus Toxicodendron

 

http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-materia-medica/a-day-in-the-life-of-rhus-toxicodendron/

2) Gelsemium

http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/gelsemium.htm
http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Gels
 3) Ledum Palustre

Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

 

 

http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/_ca/www/erlepa.htm

4) Kalmia

http://www.homeoint.org/illustr/k/kalm.htm
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-books-online/lectures-on-homeopathic-materia-medica/kalmia-latifolia-2/


5) Rhodedendron

 Rhus Tox vs. Rhodedendron

Info on Rhodedendron

More on Homeopathy

Materia Medica for Homeopathic Remedies

What is a Constitutional remedy?

Some common first aid remedies

What's Making Lyme Disease 'Tick'

The plays on words over Lyme disease and ticks are never-ending. Yet Lyme disease is a serious subject for all too many. There are possibly thousands or more already infected with Lyme disease who have yet to find out. Many have been misdiagnosed and continue to struggle with their health.

What really does make Lyme disease 'tick'?

Everyone seems to be in agreement that Lyme disease is a growing problem. One that beckons for more accurate testing and educated doctors armed with the understanding of how easily Lyme can be overlooked. Being a spirochete infection, it's not as simple as an illness just running it's course. Many of us remember Syphilis, and how it is/was called "The Great Imitator". Well Lyme is also a "Great Imitator", a stealth pathogen that comes as a package deal with other infections usually. It preys upon those with a weakened immune system that somehow lets the infection(s) take root. Many of us have weakened immune systems and are not aware of it.

Dr. Jemsek,  once an HIV specialist, is now helping 'pioneer' the way with Lyme disease. In this video entitled, "Dr. Jemsek Speaks the Truth", he tells of how similar Lyme disease is to the early HIV/AIDS days.

The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter - Sept 2010 published an article on Lyme disease.

This monthly newsletter can be found online in part at www.wellnessletter.com, however it is a paid subscription journal, so only the the first paragraph is available free online. A family member has been receiving a subscription for over 20 years.  I find the information usually quite current and helpful.

The Lyme disease article is entitled "What Makes Lyme disease Tick?",  please find it in full below. 

"What Makes Lyme Disease Tick"

Lyme disease turned 35 this year, but no one’s celebrating. Scientists first detected the tick-borne illness near Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. In recent years, 20,000 to 30,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Lyme disease annually. The illness occurs in at least 44 U.S. states- with the great majority of cases in the Midwest and Northeast – and in every continent except Antarctica.

The good news is that you can do a lot to protect yourself from getting bitten by a tick. And if you develop Lyme disease it’s treatable with antibiotics.

Lyme disease 101

Certain types of ticks transmit Borrelia burgorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. One of the most prevalent carriers is the deer tick. Luckily, the disease is difficult to get because most ticks are not infected, and if they are, they usually have to be embedded in your skin for at least 36 hours to transit the infection.

If you do become infected, you may develop symptoms in 3 to 30 days. About 80% of the time, the first sign is an expanding red rash, typically around the bite site (even if the tick is not infected, the bite itself can cause redness around the site, usually less than an inch in diameter). Flu-like symptoms may also occur. If untreated, Lyme may cause a multitude of symptoms. The most common are facial paralysis, headaches, and heart rhythm disturbances.

Treatment: how much is too much?

If you have a rash and/or other symptoms, see your doctor. If I turns out you have Lyme disease, the recommended treatment is oral antibiotics for two weeks. For later-stage manifestations of Lyme disease such as neurological, joint, or heart problems, you will need another two weeks of antibiotics, usually given intravenously. Some people get better without treatment, but antibiotics shorten recovery time and prevent complications.

Many websites talk about ”chronic Lyme disease” or “post-Lyme syndrome” and claim this is a common illness, even though the terms really have no accepted definition. You’ll find assertions that antibiotics won’t cure Lyme disease, along with recommendations for alternative treatments. You’ll even find claims that the government is unwilling to admit how many cases of “chronic Lyme disease” there are. None of this is supported by scientific evidence.

Of particular concern is long-term use of antibiotics for Lyme disease. Taking them for more than a month has not been shown to have any benefits and, in fact, can be dangerous. Recently, a review panel of the Infectious Disease Society of America reaffirmed the group’s earlier conclusion that long-term antibiotic therapy constitutes “considerable risk of harm, including potentially life-threatening adverse events.” If a doctor wants you to take antibiotics for a prolonged period, get a second opinion.

How to protect yourself

Ticks are most active between April and October. If you spend time outdoors in areas where there are ticks, take these steps:

Þ    Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and pants. Tuck your pants into your socks.

Þ    Apply a repellent containing DEET or picaridin on exposed skin, and spray permethrin on your clothes.

Þ    When you get home, look for ticks all over your body, including your scalp and groin area. Unless they’re engorged with blood, ticks   

      can be hard to spot. A magnifying glass can help.

Þ    Tick-proof your property by clearing brush and leaves.

Þ    Cats and dogs get Lyme disease, too. Check your pets regularily for ticks.

Þ    One bout of Lyme disease will not make you immune to future infections, so always take precautions when you venture into

      tick-infested areas.

What to do if you find a tick

If you find a tick embedded on your body, do not use a hot match, petroleum jelly, or gasoline to remove it. Instead, after cleaning the area, remove the tick with tweezers (preferably fine-tipped), grasping it firmly as close to your skin as possible, and pulling away with a steady motion.

Don’t twist the tick, since that may break off the mouth-parts and lead to an infection. Don’t crush, puncture, or squeeze the tick’s body. If the mouthparts break off in the skin, use tweezers, as you would to remove a splinter, then wash the bite site with soap and water.

 *****************

  Below I have taken excerpts from the newsletter's article and inserted some links, comments and references.



"What Makes Lyme Disease Tick"

 "In recent years, 20,000 to 30,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Lyme disease annually. The illness occurs in at least 44 U.S. states- with the great majority of cases in the Midwest and Northeast – and in every continent except Antarctica."

*According to Dr. Oz from his May 11 2010 television show, Lyme is found in every state, except Hawaii.
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/avoid-bite-lyme-disease



"The good news is that you can do a lot to protect yourself from getting bitten by a tick. And if you develop Lyme disease it’s treatable with antibiotics."
*Lyme may be 'treatable', however without early detection the probability of successful treatment declines. Since the testing is not reliable most cases of infection go undetected. 

Lyme disease 101
" Luckily, the disease is difficult to get because most ticks are not infected, and if they are, they usually have to be embedded in your skin for at least 36 hours to transit the infection."
* I had the classic bulls-eye shaped rash, and yet did not see a tick on my body. The rash presented on my left inner wrist while camping at Long Point Provincial Park, Ontario Canada- July 2002. This is a highly visible area on the body and the only insect I saw was a mosquito that bit me in that area a few days before. Lyme disease is endemic is this region of Canada now- along the north shore of Lake Erie- a bird haven.
Yet the Internal Medicine specialist I saw stated I had not been anywhere that there were ticks!

 
"Flu-like symptoms may also occur. If untreated, Lyme may cause a multitude of symptoms. The most common are facial paralysis, headaches, and heart rhythm disturbances."
* So how is this 'multitude of symptoms' to be taken care of then and who is going to pay?

Treatment: how much is too much?
"If you have a rash and/or other symptoms, see your doctor. If I turns out you have Lyme disease, the recommended treatment is oral antibiotics for two weeks. For later-stage manifestations of Lyme disease such as neurological, joint, or heart problems, you will need another two weeks of antibiotics, usually given intravenously."
*How is it that it might 'turn out' that you have Lyme disease?-  with unreliable and largely unavailable testing combined with primary care doctors that are not yet fully informed about this disease, how are people to get a timely diagnosis if they do become infected?

"Some people get better without treatment, but antibiotcs shorten recovery time and prevent complications."
*Yes, is true, yet just a bit incomplete, to the point of being misleading.Some people who are HIV positive never do develop AIDS either..Antibiotics even when administered early, still do not prevent later complications in far too high of a percentage of people. Then there are those who are mis-diagnosed. The longer it takes to get an accurate diagnosis the more difficult and lengthy the treatment.
More needs to be addressed regarding the above quote, as this subject area is not quite as simple as as been stated in this newsletter.

'

"Many websites talk about ”chronic Lyme disease” or “post-Lyme syndrome” and claim this is a common illness, even though the terms really have no accepted definition."
* The award winning documentary, "Under Our Skin" follows the lives a several Lyme patients, showing that Lyme symptoms for many people often do continue on after conventional treatments.
From "Under Our Skin"'s Blog:  Chronic Lyme: Real or Imaginary?

A quote from the article Chronic Lyme: Real or Imaginary?:
"Instead, the IDSA Lyme guidelines endorse an indirect antibody testing protocol that misses well over half the truly ill patients, and attributes ongoing Lyme disease symptoms to the “aches and pains of daily living."

From Pubmed, Two-Year Evaluation of Borrelia burgdorferi Culture and Supplemental Tests for Definitive Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1248466/?tool=pubmed

I find the information in this newsletter misleading, too much valuable information has been omitted. For instance the following Lyme treatment recommendations are from the Government of Ontario's website:
"If symptoms of Lyme disease develop, antibiotics should prevent further complications. The earlier treatment is received, the better. If the initial infection is not treated, symptoms involving the heart, nervous system or joints can occur."   http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/ms/lyme/public/


So in response to the UC Berkeley's newsletter, it is only the 'definition' of "post-Lyme syndrome" that has not been accepted. This is not to say it does not 'exist'- just by what definition? It is important for the public to be aware that this debate is about what to call a set of symptoms, and who is going to pay.

This information could mislead many less informed people, if not clarified quickly.  The IDSA is policing itself- leading the public to believe they are not at risk of to the degree they really are. Lyme is endemic in many regions now. It is not easy to treat and the price being paid is far too high.


"You’ll find assertions that antibiotics won’t cure Lyme disease, along with recommendations for alternative treatments. You’ll even find claims that the government is unwilling to admit how many cases of “chronic Lyme disease” there are. None of this is supported by scientific evidence."
*This is simply not true- there is supporting evidence (more links to follow to refute this). TO state something as fact and declare it is true, just 'because we said so', is not a valid argument. The IDSA has not yet been held accountable for the poorly written Lyme disease treatment guidelines, and their conflict of interests.

Lyme being a spirochete infection, which is the same type of infection as Syphilis, can cause complications later on especially for far too many.. This is what the CDC has to say about late untreated Syphilis:
"The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis begins when primary and secondary symptoms disappear. Without treatment, the infected person will continue to have syphilis even though there are no signs or symptoms; infection remains in the body. This latent stage can last for years.  The late stages of syphilis can develop in about 15% of people who have not been treated for syphilis, and can appear 10 – 20 years after infection was first acquired.  In the late stages of syphilis, the disease may subsequently damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Signs and symptoms of the late stage of syphilis include difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia. This damage may be serious enough to cause death.".


Please leave your feedback. This type of article on Lyme disease can stir an emotional response in those who have struggled with their health after being infected with Lyme. For many the journey has been very long and expensive. The cost has not only been in momentary terms. Yet it helps get our message received more readily if we remain calm and respond with logic and fact, rather than anger and sadness.

Here is the contact information off of the Newsletter's site.

   Get help regarding a question or problem about your subscription: this will take you to our online Subscription Department. You can also write to us at:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
BERKELEY WELLNESS LETTER
Subscription Department
P.O. Box 420148
Palm Coast, FL 32142

Or call: 1-800-829-9170    Send a letter to the Editors of the UC Berkeley WELLNESS LETTER.


(Note: If you're a subscriber and have a question you would like to see answered in the Ask the Experts column in the WELLNESS LETTER, please go to the password-protected Subscriber's Corner to submit your question.)
   Send a question or suggestion to our web staff regarding the setup and design of this website.
   If you are interested in bulk subscriptions, premium sales, or customization, please email our Head of Special Sales or fax your inquiry to (212) 695-2936 .

Here is the link to the editorial board for the Newsletter:
http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/wl/wlMeet.html

Be Well



  *****************

Reflecting on an "Ordinary" Day with Lyme

Once again I awaken to the sound of my own heart pounding along with about 10 other symptoms that remind me quickly what Lyme Disease is all about. It’s a disturbing feeling when you first realize that it’s still there! I always hope that I will wake up one day and ‘it’ will be gone- possibly the whole Lyme Disease and co-infection ‘thing’ will have all just been a nightmare. 

As I lay there taking notes of what parts of my body are cooperating  today, I am reminded that ‘this’ is 
my reality and I must deal with it. Even though most of the world does not understand Lyme and what I am going through, it’s still as real as rain, whatever  label is put upon it.

 The symptoms that he average Late Lyme patient deals would compel most people to stay in bed.Yet the days and months and for many of us, years roll by and our symptoms are still with us. Some worse, some better, and even some new ones can crop up over time. 

I call us the ‘Lyme Pioneers’ since the medical community is still trying to prove what Lyme is and if it can become chronic? 

Usually in the “Lyme Cocktail” comes a few other co-infections and viruses. Along with probable heavy metal toxicity and maybe even a little micoplasma infection and more. 

For about eight years now I’ve been dealing with Lyme symptoms. I got diagnosed in 2006 almost four years ago soon. I have really learned how to make it part of of my daily routine is put on my ‘Positive Attitude Suit’. Rolling back over and just going back to sleep won’t get me any further in this journey through Lyme and co-infections. So I pep talk myself, finding the strength to get up and make it all work better than yesterday!   


Part of healing anything includes making wise decisions not only about what you do but also who you put your faith and trust in. Many people with chronic health problems lose contact with a number of their friends and family. 

We are just too tired to reach out as often as we did and so time just ticks by and the closeness often fades. I think if others truly understood what can happen with just one walk in the park with infected ticks, they would be more supportive of what is really going on with this controversial disease.

Ticks that are infected usually carry other infections besides “Lyme” (Borrelia Burgdorferi- Bb),

such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and more. With the symptoms being similar to other illnesses such as MS, ALS, Parkinson’s and more Lyme is known as the “Great Imitator” just as its cousin Syphilis was. 

Some of the infections are similar to Malaria and relapsing remitting fevers. Many can return months years later, as we can never kill all of any infection in our bodies. We just manage the infections and put them into remission. 

To this date technically the cure is unknown for Lyme and co infections. Yet many have regained their health through various methods. For some others the prognosis has not been as fair. 

When undiagnosed or worse even mis-diagnosed for years the patient is already so taken over by the infections that are thriving unattended, that recovery is slow and often not as successful. The vital organs are all affected within a few months Lyme Literate Doctors say.

My symptoms range from muscle tightness, repetitive strain type symptoms to tingling, osteoarthritis in two areas of spine, large joint pain and stiffness, digestive issues, skin problems  to nerve damage down the right side of the entire body plus another dozen or two. One of the more troubling ones is the visual problems including my heartbeat always pounding though my right eye and ear.

I’ve learned how to manage most of them enough that I can function.  Without the funds so far to get to a doctor that can treat Lyme I have had to pursue alternative methods as the money allows. Soon I would like to be seen by a Lyme Literate MD and a Naturopath, since under knowledgeable doctor’s care many people are having success. However to just continue to go to doctors who are not up to date on much about Lyme at all is exhausting and has become a problem for many Lyme patients.

Many Lyme patients have great difficulty finding a qualified doctor to treat their illness.  Many doctors have and are being investigated by the medical board for treating Lyme patients outside the IDSA’s guidelines.

The state of our health is caught in the middle of a controversy over who is going to pay for the long term treatments required. The IDSA is currently under investigation for conflicts of interests for these guidelines. They're policing themselves and Pharma and Insurance companies are pulling the strings it seems.

Both my son and I got turned down by one doctor since we already have been diagnosed with Lyme. This doctor is under investigation and could jeopardize his license if he treats us. Double jeopardy for us.

Not knowing this I left a couple of messages on their answering machine stating we have Lyme and need help right away. I was assuming we were on a wait list only to find out when I got the office in person again a year or so later that we could not be seen because of this. Meanwhile I have family who think I am not ‘trying’ hard enough to get treatment.

Is it any wonder that the average Lyme patient feels just a little misunderstood and invisible?

So out of this frustration “Lyme Love” was born about a year ago – early 2009. I have recently registered the business name Lyme Love and parked the domain name for the purpose of becoming a non profit in the near future. I am looking forward to what we are going to do with this Foundation.

My heart felt thanks to those friends and family who have stuck beside us during this very difficult time. A big thank you to all the online Lyme community- you are a continual source of strength and inspiration.

I was prompted today by a friend online in our Lyme community who asked if any of us ever  feel like giving up? It got me thinking about what keeps us going under adversity.

When I wake up every morning and feel my symptoms still there waiting to be recognized I remember my children. That fuels me up and provides that motivation and then I feel grateful that I am awake. Whatever it takes to keep us going. We have lost much with Lyme including many friends and family. Those that are left are amazing people and I feel a sense of gratitude for what I have.

My mom continues to be a source of motivation to me as do both my sisters and my brother.  Their compassion helps keep me going.

Alexis and Jason- 1995

I use to think getting a head cold or a flu was a challenge. Lyme is like the flu that never went away! It’s my hope that as we continue to form a strong Lyme Community online we will be able to reach enough people to get Lyme the attention it deserves. Even the CDC admits the numbers of tick borne infections is growing more rapidly than they are reporting. Estimates are that Lyme is growing faster than AIDS.

So it is time for the world to pay attention. This problem isn’t just going away!

Lyme Love is Sewing Pillows!

Little did I realize how precious  those pillows would become when I started sewing them in 2002. After having slightly injured my back the year before, I designed a few pillows to help get more comfortable.

That summer - July 2002, was when I showed the first tell-tale sign of Lyme Disease- the classic bulls eye shaped rash! It was on my left wrist and I never did see a tick.

                                                                                                                                 

The rash disappeared as did the flu-like symptoms, even before we got home from camping at Long Point Provincial Park (north shore of Lake Erie). A few months later I started to develop many seaming unrelated medical problems.

I continued designing new sizes and shapes of pillows to help support my ever increasing number of spasming muscles and sore joints. I remember thinking at the time, how peculiar it was that here I was making pillows and never had there been a time I needed them more! Starting around the Fall of 2002 I had to use a small pillow under my arm while driving my vehicle, in order to prevent my shoulder from 'dropping'. Not only was I starting to develop a repetative strain problem, but also tingles, shooting pains, headaches, Bell's Palsy and more!

 

Before ever displaying 'symptoms' (major ones at least), I left my career of 14 years in November 2001 to venture out on my 'own'. Having operated a family business during those years, I was excited to get my hands into some new projects. I had actually started 2 new ventures at that time. The 'pillow project' ended up being the 'after-thought'.

First were the Bolster pillows then the throw pillows with dolphins and Orcas- stuffed with whatever I could find! Next came the buckwheat hull filled pillows- November 2002, right when I was coming down with what we now know was full-blown Neuro Lyme with the typical side dish of multiple co-infections.

I started making all different sorts of shapes to wedge under my arms, legs, and neck.  This actually enabled me to function a little better. I'd slip a pillow under my lower neck for extra support while I would drive. Another smaller neck one for dentist visits helped enough to revise it a few times.

By 2004 I had developed over 50 different sizes and shapes- all very useful in my world.

It's interesting looking back now for me, realizing I had designed all those pillows during what was my worst stage of Lyme Disease and Co. I am still battling 'Late Lyme and Co.'. Not being diagnosed until June 2006 has made my road to recovery a rather bumpy one. That's another blog post some day.

I've decided to start sewing pillows again after being away from it for 3 years. I barely got the 'new'  name for the pillow business picked on Vancouver Island  ( we lived there- 2005- 2007). So for now the old name of 'Van Island Dreamz' stands. We'll see what the future brings. 

My very first Bolster pillow 

- made out of some 'extra' upholstery fabric my mom have given me

 

 

Neck Symptoms Still on My List

Symptoms Still On My List

Neck Discomfort

I have lived my life pretty much headache free. In my twenties I had a short problem with low blood sugar. This would cause headaches off and on for a few years until I altered my diet to include avocados and sound primal eating habits.

In the year 2000 I started to get headaches, different kinds. I felt something was wrong. After basic blood work my GP felt it was just stress. A single mother with a 6 and 14 year old along with a ‘career’ that was becoming more and more stressful.

My right eye also started to twitch sometime around 2000 as well. Finally by 2003 I knew something was seriously wrong yet still my blood work showed nothing according to my doctor. The base of my skull would hurt so badly it was all I could think about from 2002-2003. Other headaches were also a daily occurrence. My muscles, mostly on my right were tight and spastic, like they did not know how to rest after working.

I still get daily headaches, like a constant dull ache. Yet the severe headaches are more rare now and generally do not go over a few days in duration. With Lyme Disease and co-infections I find there are many different forms of headaches, some from muscle tightness others straight chemistry related.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with mid-stage Osteoarthritis in two neck vertebrae and two in the lower back. I was required for insurance reasons after being rear-ended at a stop sign to see a Rheumatologist and an Internal Medicine Specialist. My neck was very sore before the car accident, so although it may not have caused my neck problems it certainly did add complications. I had a three month long intense constant headache after the car accident. Interestingly that this worsening head pain and neck problem led me to Dr. Murakami in the same year to get a second opinion on my health. This provided an answer for not only the neck issues but also for countless other health problems that had started six years earlier. I was one of the ‘lucky’ ones, in that it only took 7 doctors for me to get an accurate diagnosis.

Every few months my neck seems to flare up and cause severe headaches. I still go for Chiropractic adjustments as they help a great deal. Lately the arthritis is flaring up causing me to slow down and rest my neck often on a pillow. I’ve been sewing slowly again since I had to sew up some new shapes for me to rest with.

With lifestyle management living with late Lyme and co-infections can be manageable, yet as the New Year approaches I still dream of a complete cure and medical support that truly helps.

Under Our Skin ~ Drawing Attention on the Road to The Oscar's

The award winning documentary Under Our Skin is a tale of money, microbes and a medical system that is failing us. U.O.S. exposes the growing, hidden epidemic of Lyme Disease and the controversy surrounding it. The film follows patients and physicians fighting for their lives and their livelihoods.






The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on November 19 2009, announced that Under Our Skin was selected as one of the 15 finalists competing for “Best Documentary Feature” in the 82nd Academy Awards®.

A few reviews about the film.

"Makes a powerful argument...like a well-made thriller, gets under your skin."(full article)
- Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post

"Heart-rending...inflammatory."
- Stephen Holden, New York Times

"Fascinating...artful and compelling." (full article)
- Frank DiGiacomo, Vanity Fair

More reviews on UOS's website

Into the Light Gala Theatrical premiere of Under Our Skin

Into the Light Gala was held at the Ballantyne Village Theater on March 20 2009.

Hosted by the Jemsek Specialty Clinic of South Carolina, the event was sponsored by the highly successful, New York City based Turn the Corner Foundation, a not-for-profit public charity dedicated to the support of research, education, awareness and innovative treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Co-sponsoring the event was The National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association, a charity with more than 1800 members in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area that dedicates itself to improving the quality of life for people suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses.

Video from Into the Light Gala premiere

Dr. Jemsek starts speaking at the 6 minute mark in the video.

Under Our Skin has been attracting a lot of media attention helping to further the cause of educating the world about the realities of an epidemic that is flying under the radar. A recent review about the film being on the Oscar's Short list paints UOS in a less than desirable light. Click below for the article from the movie critic Owen Gleiberman.

He starts the review off by criticizing the branch members of not watching the films by saying,
"This year’s list, though, isn’t just lackluster — there’s something fundamentally off about it. It’s almost perverse. Compiled by a star chamber of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters (it’s not specified how many of the 151 documentary branch members actually watch the films and produce the final roster), the list omits far too many of the documentaries — like, nearly all of them — that were sought out by audiences and acclaimed by critics. It ignores too many of the movies that were seen, praised, and loved."

For every person who was not impressed by this film I have spoken to 50 that were.

I was surprised UOS did not receive a positive review from him , since he claims the following,
just a couple of paragraphs after his comments on UOS:
"Look, I see and I praise — at times on a weekly basis – documentaries that seek to make a difference in the world. I believe in that kind of mission filmmaking. Yet part of the extraordinary renaissance of documentary filmmaking in our time has been, more than ever, to liberate the art of non-fiction from the furrowed-brow imperatives of social justice. Yes, Hoop Dreams (1994) is a great film, but it was really Crumb (1995), arguably the most haunting documentary of its era, that pushed the form toward an almost novelistic dimension."

The part of the review on UOS is this:
"Yet as I look over this list, I see far too many movies that don’t belong there — and, frankly, too many that made it because they were about subjects that rendered them “worthy.” Take, for instance, Under Our Skin, a documentary about Lyme disease that embraces, with bits and pieces of skimpy evidence and a whole lot more paranoid leftist fervor, the notion that “chronic Lyme disease” is a condition that the medical establishment is locked in a conspiracy to deny the existence of. The filmmakers actually bungle what should have been their real subject (that the belief in chronic Lyme disease has become something of a cult, one that can ruin the lives of the people who think they have it). But the bottom line, to me, is that Under Our Skin is not a very well-made movie. It played in theaters for about two minutes, and frankly, that’s more or less what it deserved."

Notice nowhere does he claim to have watched the film. Especially interesting since he does comment on this at the beginning- and seems rather critical over this when it is others who 'judge' films without watching them. Maybe he did watch it and just forgot to mention it.

I was hoping to pull apart what he said, however there really isn't anything to respond to because it is all so vague. I say thank you for writing 'poor' review 'poorly'. He is insulting to say the least- and seems to be trying hard to be. I think he has discredited himself enough by the lack of relevant content on UOS. Why does he not like it? I'm still not sure - yet now I am indifferent to his opinions so I won't be reading anything else from this writer. He leaves me with nothing compelling to understand his point of view.

The article by Owen finishes with:
"Dare I use the F-word? They should be fun. This list just isn’t.

So which documentaries have you seen this year that you think should be nominated for the Oscar?"

The answer to the question is Under Our Skin.

The critical way he speaks of UOS has little to do with the actual movie and more about the topic it is about. Yet it is still an emotional response. He is stepping out of place with such a 'review'. Maybe just an attention grabbing tactic- who knows. The Lyme controversy did not just start with this man's opinion, yet it is all too typical when people have been kept in the dark so long about an epidemic that is in their own backyard. Scary stuff and we do expect a lot of denial along this way. If "Lyme" is real, then what does that mean? It means we have very big problem!

Get educated people and save yourself a lot of aggravation. Do your own homework- and don't listen to most "opinions" on Lyme and tick borne infections. Get to the 'right' sources- and there are many now.

Full review from EW:
http://movie-critics.ew.com/2009/11/20/oscar-documentary-scandal/#more-3314

Watch the trailer of the film here.