Category: Articles and Recipes

Dairy 101

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Food and Nutrition

Trouble digesting dairy is not really a disorder, it’s just a natural variation in how our digestive system works. Most people in the world have trouble digesting dairy past infancy and symptoms can get worse with age.

Here are some tips and tricks to survive in a dairy filled world.

Learn Your Dairy Vocabulary

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is a sugar in milk that requires our body to make lactase, a digestive enzyme to breakdown and absorb lactose. About 65% of adults worldwide can’t breakdown and absorb lactose.

Secondary lactose intolerance, which is often caused by damage to your intestines, might be reversible after your small intestine recovers. The damage can be sudden, often caused by radiation therapy, celiac disease, inflammation in colon, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, infections in the intestines, and other food intolerances.

Dairy allergy

A true allergy to dairy food is rare. These sudden and sometimes extreme reactions are mediated by IgE antibodies, which can be tested for. May need to carry an Epi Pen.

Dairy sensitivity or intolerance (milk protein intolerance)

This is a common intolerance to milk proteins such as casein and whey (as opposed to intolerance to the sugars with lactose intolerance). It can be measured by immune marker IgG.

Symptoms are often gastrointestinal related but can also show up in other body systems such as headaches, fatigue, frequent infections, respiratory problems and more.

For more information about food testing, here’s another BNHC article:

Are Foods Causing Your Symptoms? Understanding Testing Options – Boise Natural Health Clinic

Pareve or Parve

If a label says Pareve or Parve, it is milk-free to conform to Jewish food laws.

Whey, casein, caseinate, lactalbumin, lactose

These are all forms of dairy that are added to foods for flavor or to improve nutritional content.

Ingredients that do not contain dairy (but sound like they do)

Calcium lactate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, cocoa butter, cream of tartar, lactic acid, oleoresin, sodium lactate, sodium stearoyl lactylate.

Hidden Sources of Dairy

Battered fried foods, biscuits, breads, breakfast cereals, cakes, chewing gum, chocolate, cookies, cream sauces, cream soups, custard, deli meat, ghee, gravies, hot dogs, ice cream, imitation sour cream, instant mashed potatoes, malted milk, margarine, muesli, muffins, nougat, packaged soups, paneer, pies, puddings, sausages, sherbet, soy cheese, tuna fish (canned), soup mixes.

Another source: restaurants may put butter on steaks after grilling to add flavor.

Dairy Substitutes

Dairy free cheese, milk, creamer, sour cream –We are in the hey-day of dairy free products, and they have improved so much in recent years.
Avocado – the texture and fat make it a great pretend cheese
Look for the word “vegan” on packaging as an easy way to tell if dairy free.
The Treasure Valley has some awesome creamy, non-dairy options for ice cream:

https://www.stellaicecream.com/boise

https://ilovethestil.com/

https://www.lovejoysicecream.com/

When You Want to Indulge – some kinds of dairy may be better

People generally do worse on milk, soft cheese, and especially ice cream. However, there is less lactose and you are likely to have less symptoms with drier, aged cheeses (such as parmesan), fermented dairy such as yogurt, and goat or sheep milk products (instead of cow).

If you do have dairy, choose smaller servings and eat with other food to help digestion.

Lactase & Enzyme Supplements

These are tablets or drops you take before consuming lactose that provide the enzyme to break lactose down. Potentially worth a try if you are just lactose intolerant. Won’t help with a dairy protein sensitivity.

We recommend Enzymedica Digest Spectrum which has high-potency enzymes to support digestion of foods containing both gluten and dairy, as well as vegetables and beans. You can shop on your BNHC Fullscript account:

https://us.fullscript.com/protocols/boisenaturalhealth-dairy-and-or-gluten-sensitivity-digestive-enzymes

Link to Fullscript – Digest Spectrum Enzymedica

Is Dairy Addictive?

It’s not just cravings, we can get hooked. A protein found in cheese comes from casein which, during digestion, releases casomorphins, a substance chemically similar to opioids. These casomorphins can attach themselves to the same receptors in our brains as heroin and other narcotics resulting in a little hit of dopamine and increased cravings.

PPIs and Dementia Risk

By Nicole Maxwell, NMD - Digestion

Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, are a common heartburn relief medicine. Some examples are Omeprazole (Prilosec), Famotidine (Pepcid) and Pantoprazole (Protonix). While they can be helpful in the short-term, long-term use can throw a wrench in the digestive process. PPIs don’t correct the original problem but mask it while the underlying destructive processes continues.

New Link with Dementia

And now, a new study^[1] found that people who used proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than 4.4 cumulative years were at a 33% higher risk of developing dementia than those reporting no use.

Previous studies showed mixed results in regards to PPIs and dementia but didn’t study cumulative use. This study used 5,712 dementia-free participants (58% were women) and the median follow up was 5.5 years and studied cumulative use. There were no significant associations for shorter times of PPI use.

While we need more studies to understand what the relationship is between dementia and cumulative PPI use, it is important to heal your gut now and help prevent this occurring to you or a loved one that may be on chronic PPI use.

What are Some Causes of Heartburn?

Naturopathic medicine shines at correcting underlying issues and can help you address the cause of your symptoms.

Eating an improper diet, having a hiatal hernia which allows acid to be where it’s not meant to be, stress, lack of optimal GI health (lack of enzymes, acid, chewing food, etc.), etc.

Read More

Here is another article on our web page from with helpful information:

Heartburn -Get relief with naturopathic medicine on our web page.

Feel free to contact Boise Natural Health for a free 15 min consult or to set up your appointment with Dr. Nicole Maxwell.

^[1] Northuis C, Bell E, Lutsey P, George KM, Gottesman RF, Mosley TH, Whitsel EA, Lakshminarayan K. Cumulative Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Neurology. 2023 Aug 9:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207747. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207747. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37558503.

Long COVID

By Michaela Falkner, NMD - Immune System

Covid is Here to Stay

It’s pretty clear that COVID is here to stay. It continues to not only infect new cases but continues to wreak havoc in the already infected longer than the traditional medical model previously considered possible. Long COVID is a poorly understood constellation of symptoms (both mental and physical) that persist for more than 2 months after infection of COVID that significantly impacts a person’s life and isn’t explained by an alternative diagnosis (Mikkelsen & Abramoff, 2023).

Long Covid Symptoms

The most common symptoms in long COVID are fatigue, difficulty breathing, joint pain, chest pain, and cough (Sudre & Et.al, 2020), but we are often seeing brain fog, anxiety, dizziness, and difficulty in regulating heart rate and blood pressure. Symptoms can also change day to day. We don’t know what causes long COVID and its unclear who is at most risk of developing long COVID due to conflicting reports. What we do know is 87% of patients hospitalized with COVID will still experience symptoms after 2 months (Carfi, Bernabei, & Landi, 2020), so this is not an uncommon issue. Meanwhile, most patients do start to see improvement in their symptoms in 4-9 months (Mikkelsen & Abramoff, 2023) even without intervention.

Why Do Some People Get It?

So, what is causing long COVID? We aren’t sure. There are a few ideas, but it boils down to the following themes: reactivation/reemergence of COVID or other viral illnesses like Epstein Barr virus (Gold, Okyay, Licht, & Hurley, 2021). Other contributing factors are immune system dysregulation, energy metabolism defects, and imbalances of pro and anti-inflammatory processes.

Treatment Options

Fortunately, as naturopathic physicians, we are very used to treating many of these proposed causes of chronic viral infections naturally. Data shows glutathione/NAC, antioxidants, quercetin, curcumin, magnesium all have potential to balance inflammation and treat spike protein related pathologies (Halma & Plothe, 2023). We can also use Ozone IVs and rectal insufflations to modulate inflammation and help the immune system to kill COVID viral particles (Cenci, Macchia, & ET.al, 2022). We can also use antiviral herbs like cat’s claw, lemon balm, and licorice that have evidence of very robust antiviral properties. We can use nutrients like acetyl l carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C to help restore the energy metabolism defects.

Ultimately, treatment isn’t (and shouldn’t) be once size fits all. Often we are supporting multiple body systems for overall improved health – helping the body to heal itself. We customize our approach of testing and treatments to help address your long COVID symptoms and support your healing.

References

Carfi, A., Bernabei, R., & Landi, F. (2020, July 9). Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID-19. Retrieved from JAMA Network: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2768351

Cenci, A., Macchia, I., & ET.al. (2022, April 21). Mechanisms of Action of Ozone Therapy in Emerging Viral Diseases: Immunomodulatory Effects and Therapeutic Advantages With Reference to SARS-CoV-2. Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35531273/

Gold, J. E., Okyay, R. A., Licht, W. E., & Hurley, D. J. (2021, June 17). Investigation of Long COVID Prevalence and Its Relationship to Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation. Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8233978/

Halma, M. T., & Plothe, C. (2023, May 17). Strategies for the Management of Spike Protein-Related Pathology. Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37317282/ Mikkelsen, M. E., & Abramoff, B. (2023, June 19). COVID-19: Evaluation and management of adults with persistent symptoms following acute illness (“Long COVID”). Retrieved from UpToDate: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/covid-19-evaluation-and-management-of-adults-with-persistent-symptoms-following-acute-illness-long-covid/print

Sudre, C. H., & Et.al. (2020, June 16). Symptom clusters in Covid19: A potential clinical prediction tool from the COVID Symptom study app. Retrieved from MedRxiv: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.12.20129056v1.full

Mitochondrial Damage and Chronic Illness

By Michaela Falkner, NMD - Miscellaneous

In late May, I attended the 13^th Advanced Applications for Medical Practice (AAMP)’s conference on Mitochondrial Medicine: Healing in Chronic and Post Infectious Illness. It is a 3-day conference that is packed with amazing information that I’ve been attending for the last three years.

The Cell’s Mitochondria – damage creates long-term symptoms

As some of us remember from school biology, mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell. Inside them, complex processes occur to create ATP, which is the currency of energy for the body. These processes (anyone remember the Kreb’s cycle or Electron Transport Chain?) are very delicate and highly dependent on multiple nutrients to work correctly.

There is new information that chronic inflammation as well as chronic and acute infections (including Epstein Barr virus, COVID 19, etc), and even medications and toxins can damage our mitochondria and may contribute to post-infectious illness (such as Long Covid), chronic fatigue from other diseases like cancer, Lyme, and autoimmune disease, and other dysfunctions in the body.

So, when you treat the illness or source of inflammation, but still don’t feel better, you may need to address damaged mitochondria. By giving more nutrients and also by removing obstacles to healing.

Nutrients power energy production

The main nutrients needed to power mitochondrial production of energy include carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, multiple B vitamins, CoQ10, PQQ, selenium, zinc, and multiple other antioxidants. We also use phosphatidylcholine to help replace the delicate membrane of the mitochondria as well to allow better diffusion of nutrients in and energy out from both the cells and mitochondria. Here at Boise Natural Health Clinic, for broad spectrum mitochondrial support, we like MitoNRG, MitoCore, and BioPC Pro.

Are your Mitochondria Working?

We can indirectly test the function of mitochondria with a urine test called an Organic Acid Test (OAT). The OAT test is a nice 10,000 foot view of overall health. The test can give general information about the health of the mitochondria and Kreb’s cycle, gastrointestinal infections and health, indirect neurotransmitter measurements, vitamin levels, and detox abilities. I often use this test when I’m not sure where to start with a case or am suspicious of mitochondrial dysfunction, GI dysfunction, and nutrient deficiency. Contact us if you’d like to get an Organic Acid Test by Mosaic Diagnostics and get a glimpse of your mitochondrial health!

Report from Women’s Hormone Boot Camp Continuing Education Weekend

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Women's Health and Hormones

A few weeks ago, I attended a 3 day, multi speaker conference known as “Hormone Boot Camp” that was attended by over 250 health care providers from around the country. I’ve attended these hormone conferences many times before, usually every other year since med school. I am a hormone user myself and have many patients on hormone therapy and want to be sure I’m keeping us all safe while we take advantage of the many benefits of bioidentical replacement. I also want to keep up on new studies, new medications, and new delivery systems.

10 things I want my patients to know:

Starting hormone replacement at an earlier age is better. There is little effect and potential harm if started > 10 years after menopause or if > 60 yo. They now refer to it as the “Critical Window” of the optimal time to start.
In most cases, you do not need to stop hormones until you want to. You don’t need to come off due to an imagined increased risk. There are many long-term benefits of remaining on hormones beyond controlling symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia including reduced heart disease, stronger bones, better cognition, less symptoms of aging and more.
If you start hormones too late, it can increase the risk of dementia. But if started earlier it can prevent or delay the onset.
All forms of hormone testing (blood, urine, saliva) are valid for a baseline test, but salivary testing might be best evaluating hormone therapy. If you are using serum (blood) tests for checking doses, serum estradiol with show up in a lower range.
Breast cancer risk from estrogen therapy is minimal and some studies even show that taking estrogen may decrease your risk of breast cancer. Daily alcohol creates a greater risk than estrogen does.
Even if you have breast cancer, you are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Only 1 out of 31 American women die from breast cancer, while heart disease causes 1 of every 3 deaths. 75% of patients (men and women) hospitalized for a heart attack had cholesterol levels that would indicate they were not at high risk for a cardiovascular event. At BNHC we can run expanded lipid tests to show much more helpful information to help modify your risk. Read more in Dr. Nicole Maxwell’s article https://boisenaturalhealth.com/the-low-down-on-lipids/
In women with a family history of breast cancer or BRCA 1 & 2 mutations, hormone therapy does not increase risk of getting cancer. If personal history of breast cancer, some forms of hormones may be useful for symptom control with little risk.
Estrogen and progesterone may not be enough to increase libido. Testosterone is often needed and can sometimes work wonders. *
If you had your ovaries removed, replacing those lost hormones is very important to reduce the risk of bone loss, dementia, and other diseases of aging. 25% of women who have a hysterectomy only (kept their ovaries) will lose ovarian function after the surgery and have an earlier menopause.
One of the speakers Tori Hudson, ND a former professor of mine and the author of books herself says that the book Estrogen Matters by Avrum Bluming, MD and Carol Tavris, PhD is the only book she recommends for both patients and providers!

* Big News – I now have a DEA number which means I can prescribe testosterone now. Come see me if your estrogen and progesterone aren’t doing enough to help with libido!

Spring Allergies – tools for symptoms and prevention

By Michaela Falkner, NMD - Sinus and Allergies

With the blooming of another spring (even though it’s late this year), many of us can expect itchy eyes, postnasal drip, sneezing, and itchy noses. Allergies affect up to 26% of adults, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. The symptoms don’t just cause discomfort, but can also come with fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and even tooth pain which can make day to day life uncomfortable.

Let’s look at options to blunt the effects of allergies on our lives:

Lifestyle

Use HEPA filters in your appliances like your vacuum, air conditioning, and air purifier.
Wear a mask when outside. Masks can help decrease the ability of pollen to contact your nose and lungs which can decrease allergy symptoms. Bonus points for washing your face, hair, or body after being outside as well.
Use natural cleaners to avoid irritating your sinuses, lungs, and eyes further.
Reduce eating your foods sensitivities and pro-inflammatory foods.

Over the Counter Options

Natural Options
- Look for ingredients like stinging nettle, NAC, vitamin C, quercitin to help with allergies.
- You can shop in Fullscript for natural options such as:
  - AllQlear – this egg-based supplement (not ok for egg allergies and vegans) is a delicious chewable that can help decrease inflammation in the respiratory tract.
  - D-Hist – we call this one “natural Benadryl.”
  - Aller-C – A blend of vitamin C, quercetin, and bromelain all help to stabilize mast cells (allergy cells) and decrease histamine.
  - Xlear nasal spray – this has xylitol and grapefruit seed extract to prohibit adherence of pollen and allergens to the nasal mucosa.
- Nasal Rinses – rinsing sinuses with saline solution will help to decrease symptoms of allergies. Look for NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit available at most drug stores.
Over The Counter Medications
- Certain anti histamines are safer in the long term than others. Some medications, like Benadryl, have been found to have a high anticholinergic burden score, which can contribute to risk of dementia later in life (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2736353). See how your OTC antihistamine stacks up here: https://www.acbcalc.com/

Desensitization Prescription Options:

Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
- For severe allergies, BNHC can prescribe a medication called sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). This therapy is similar to allergy shots in that we help your immune system to become tolerant to ever increasing amounts of the allergen. We can tailor this prescription to your individual allergens, which we test through a blood test (no itchy skin scratch test here!). For more information look at https://www.allergychoices.com/ and you can schedule with Dr. Michaela Falkner if you’re interested!

Symptoms and Testing for Hormone Imbalances: The Big Six

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Women's Health and Hormones

By Joan Haynes, NMD

Hormone imbalances is something we see a lot of at Boise Natural Health. Listed below are symptoms of deficiency and excess of different hormones. Because there is such an overlap between the symptoms of the hormone imbalances, testing takes the guess work out.

Estrogens

Deficiency

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Foggy thinking
Memory Lapses
Incontinence
Tearful
Depressed
Insomnia
Heart palpitations
Bone loss
Aches/pains

Excess

Mood swings
Tender breasts
Water retention
Nervousness
Irritability
Anxiety
Fibrocystic breast
Uterine fibroids
Weight gain hips
Bleeding changes
Headaches
PMS

Progesterone

Deficiency

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Foggy thinking
Memory lapses
Incontinence
Tearful/Anxiety
Depressed
Sleep disturbances
Heart palpitations
Bone loss
Irritability
PMS
Infertility

Excess

Sleepiness
Breast swelling
Breast tenderness
Decreased libido
Mild depression
Candida infections
Water retention

Androgens (DHEA and Testosterone)

Deficiency

Low libido
Vaginal dryness
Foggy thinking
Foggy thinking
Fatigue
Aches/pains
Memory lapses
Incontinence
Depressed
Insomnia
Bone loss
Decreased muscle mass
Thinning skin

Excess

Excess facial hair
Excess body hair
Loss of scalp hair
Increased acne
Oily Skin

Cortisol (Adrenal Gland)

Deficiency

Fatigue
Sugar cravings
Allergies
Chemical sensitivity
Stress
Cold body temperature
Heart palpitations
Aches/pains
Arthritis

Excess

Insomnia
Depression
Bone Loss
Tired and wired
Weight gain in waist
Loss of muscle mass
Thinning skin

Thyroid

Deficiency

Fatigue
Weight gain
Goiter
Constipation
Low body temperature
Dry hair
Hair loss
Dry skin
Achy joints
Infertility

Excess

Fatigue
Weight loss
Goiter
Increased hunger
Racing heart
Diarrhea
Excess energy
Bulging eyeballs
Mood swings

Insulin

Low blood sugar

Anxiety or irritability
Trouble concentrating
Fast heartbeat
Shaking
Sweating
Irritability of confusion
Dizziness
Hunger
Nausea
Sugar cravings

High blood sugar

Increased thirst and a dry mouth
Frequent urination
Tiredness
Blurred vision
Recurrent infections
Patches of darker skin
Skin heals slowly
Weight loss or weight gain

Testing Options

Some factors that determine which tests to order are symptoms, chronic health issues, family history, cost and insurance coverage.

Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) can be measured in saliva, blood, or urine. For menstruating women, collection is best near day 20 of their cycle. (Day 1 is the first day of bleeding). For non-menstruating women and men, the test can be run any day of the month.

Thyroid (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Thyroid antibodies, Reverse T3) can only be measured in blood. It is important to avoid biotin for 48 hours prior to testing and time the blood draw about 4 – 6 hours after taking thyroid hormone.

Adrenal (Cortisol and DHEA) can be measured in blood or saliva. Cortisol starts off high in the morning and lowers in the evening

For current prices and more information – call Boise Natural Health Clinic 208-338-0405. You can schedule a free brief consult with one of our doctors to see if we can meet your needs.

Heart Health – Inflammation Increases Risk

By Nicole Maxwell, NMD - Heart Disease & Diabetes

Ask for an hs-CRP when you test for cholesterol.

Inflammation is part of the normal healing process. It causes the redness, warmth, swelling, and pain you feel when you get a splinter, for example.

But when inflammation sticks around for a while, it can become chronic. Chronic inflammation is linked to many health problems, including heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer and more.

Inflammation in blood vessels happens when plaque builds up inside the walls of arteries. Sometimes the plaque breaks open, causing the body to send out white blood cells to attack this harmful material and seal it off with a clot of blood. If the blood clot is large, it can block blood flow and cause a heart attack or stroke.^[1]

Ask your doctor to order a hs-CRP when you get your cholesterol checked

Elevated hs-CRP means there is inflammation in your body related to the cardiovascular system. People who are otherwise healthy but with elevated hs-CRP values are up to 4x as likely to have coronary heart disease (CHD). Reduction in hs-CRP and LDL are associated with a reduction in atherosclerotic progression.

How to lower inflammation

Find out the cause – food sensitivities, a chronic low level infection, an inflamed gut, toxins, a problem tooth, and more.
Aside from eating a vegetable rich, low carb, whole foods diet and moderate exercise,
Take an absorbable turmeric (curcumin) supplement^[2]. We carry Turiva at BNHC and you can find Theracurmin on our on-line ordering system Fullscript. The dose is 2 caps a day. I take my 2 caps at bedtime to support my heart and to help overall inflammation and better sleep. Turmeric has also been shown to help with fatigue and depression.

Other lab tests to consider asking for

Read Dr. Maxwell’s about article about the other labs available for a comprehensive cardiovascular screening. Particularly important for people with a strong family history.

For an in-depth cardiovascular consult, schedule an appointment by calling us at 208-388-0405.

^[1] https://www.clevelandheartlab.com/blog/6-signs-of-chronic-inflammation-you-shouldnt-ignore/

^[2] Gorabi AM, Abbasifard M, Imani D, Aslani S, Razi B, Alizadeh S, Bagheri-Hosseinabadi Z, Sathyapalan T, Sahebkar A. Effect of curcumin on C-reactive protein as a biomarker of systemic inflammation: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022 Jan;36(1):85-97. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7284. Epub 2021 Sep 29. PMID: 34586711.

Babesia – Another Common Tick Born Illness

By Michaela Falkner, NMD - Immune System

Babesia is a little different from Lyme (borrelia) and Bartonella in that it is not a bacteria, but a parasite that is more similar to malaria than bacteria. Babesia has been found in all 50 states and likes to target the red blood cells. Babesia infection is often in addition to lyme infection as well and we often need to treat both.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person but we tend to see more pulmonary involvement in Babesia.
Most common symptoms are:
- Shortness of breath with negative pulmonary tests, frequent sighing or air hunger, anxiety, night sweats and chills, flushing/hot flushes, the sensation of bugs crawling on your skin, pressure headaches on the top of your head.

Testing

Like all tick-borne infections, testing is difficult. You can get antibody testing at a general lab or Igenix. These tests are often not very sensitive and can come back falsely negative.
FISH testing: FISH testing is looking for unique RNA codes in Babesia. It has been the gold standard for testing Babesia and is available through Igenix.

Treatment

Treatment has more in common with treating malaria than Bartonella or Borrelia.
Prevention is the best cure! Here are some handy tips from Igenix on how to prevent Lyme disease. https://cdn.igenex.com/wp-content/uploads/2022-Lyme-Disease-Awareness-Month-Tips.pdf
Herbal Treatment: The favorite herbs to treat babesia are Artemisia (wormwood), just like malaria. Other herbs that are effective are Japanese Knotweed, Cryptoleptis, Chinese Skullcap. Japanese Knotweed, Cryptoleptis, and Chinese Skullcap are luckily also effective at Lyme and Bartonella as well!
Antibiotics: Antibiotics of choice are Bactrim, Atovaquone, and Azithromycin.
Ozone therapy: ozone kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Treat other supportive body systems: address the thyroid, adrenal glands, vitamin levels, and multiple other organ systems to ensure your body can fight the Babesia and other co-infections.

As with the other co-infections and Lyme, I find it is easiest to assess which infection is causing the most issues symptomatically and start treatment focused on that microorganism, eventually expanding treatment to cover all co-infections as tolerated.

Dr. Falkner has attended ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) conferences as well as has years of experience treating Lyme both naturally and with antibiotics.

For more information – here are more Dr. Falkner articles:

The Benefits of Humidity

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Miscellaneous

Keeping Indoor Air at 40 – 60% relative humidity will help you feel better in your skin and reduce your risk of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illness.

Every Fall, when the heater comes on, my skin, respiratory passages, and hair dry up. It’s time to get out the humidifier. We run it 24/7, all winter long in our bedroom and feel noticeably better! I’ve cut way back on my lotion use. My nose isn’t crusty. I snore less because I can breathe thru my nose better.

Americans spend about 90% of our time indoors.

What is relative humidity? – it’s the % of moisture in the air compared to the maximum water the air can hold at a given temperature. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air. 40% – 60% is the Goldilocks zone. Not too humid and not too dry.

Benefits of moister air:

Skin – increased levels of moisture in the hair can help your skin feel soft, supple and more nourished. Less heel cracking.
Nose, throat, lungs – less snoring, less crusty noses, less chapped lips.
Lower risk of respiratory illness – New research from MIT suggests that the relative humidity in the air in our homes may be an important factor affecting the transmission of COVID-19. Many past studies have shown that many viruses stay alive in the air much longer at humidity levels below about 40%. An airplane cabin is held at 20% humidity, one of the reasons we get sick when traveling.

Hygrometers
Low cost and easy way to get the facts on your indoor air. About $15.

Humidifiers

Some people have whole house humidifiers, but if you don’t, consider getting one for at least the bedroom. I prefer the ultrasonic cool mist versions over the ones with the fans which are a little noisy. I also like the larger ones, so I only have to fill every day or two. Keep clean by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Unplug and empty. I use 1 cup of water and 1 cup white vinegar and let it sit for an hour. Be sure to rinse the reservoir and nozzle well too – gunk can build up.

Hydrate your body orally too!

Read another article by Joan Haynes NMD Could Your Symptoms be Due to a Lack of Water? Sometimes it’s That Easy! I share my recipe of home-made electrolyte water.