By Dr. Leslie Vilensky

We’re all exposed to toxins on a daily basis – in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and don't forget the majority of household and personal care products we use every day. A healthy body is designed to process and eliminate these toxins in order to support optimal health and wellbeing. Supporting healthy detoxification pathways in the body is important for everybody.  

For people dealing with Lyme disease, not only is healthy detoxification important but also critical in regaining balance in their bodies and ultimately moving further along the path to peak health.

In many cases, we find that people with Lyme have an increased burden of these toxins – i.e. from food sensitivities, environmental exposure to toxic metals and mold or from toxins that are produced from the antimicrobials used in Lyme treatment itself. Many of these people also have underlying mechanisms that prevent them from detoxing well or in a healthy way. These factors can be due to a number of things including genetic factors and poor liver function.  

So, what are some things you can do?

Here are 5 tips for supporting healthy detoxification:

1. Water, water, water. Drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day can help support healthy bowel function and the removal of toxins from the body. Add some lemon for more beneficial detox support.

2. Eat for Liver Health. Foods like beets, artichokes, carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, garlic, onions, and spices like turmeric contain compounds that protect and improve the very important detoxification function of the liver.  

3. Take your Vitamins. Nutritional supplements like Vitamin C, N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), and Milk Thistle are among many of the nutrients and herbal medicines that can help support healthy detoxification.  

4. Breathe. The lungs are one of the primary pathways for toxin removal in the body. Taking several conscious, deep belly breaths throughout the day can help support this process.

5. Heat up with an Infrared Sauna – Infrared saunas not only improve circulation, decrease inflammation, and relieve pain, but they also increase sweating, which is one of the body’s most natural ways to eliminate toxins, making it a crucial part of a detoxification protocol.  

In naturopathic medicine, treatment options are unique to every patient. Like most diseases, Lyme and other Tick Borne infections result when there is an imbalance somewhere in the body that increases susceptibility when that person is exposed or bitten by an infected tick. Naturopathic care can help support healthy detoxification and interrupt the processes that occur when someone is infected with Lyme, helping restore the body’s ability to heal itself.