I’m a Lyme-y on a healing journey. And I got COVID-19.
I did “all the right things,” was still exposed, and got it along with a few unmistakable symptoms and the pleasure of what feels like a never-ending quarantine at home.
This was most definitely NOT how I had planned to usher in the beautiful month of September. You may have seen that I talked about it on social media as my quarantine began, and throughout. But it’s almost been harder to talk about as time goes on.
I think it’s important that I talk and keep talking, though. That I bring the hope I’ve always been called to bring. That I break free of being “the public health threat” and “another statistic,” as I’ve so often felt I’ve been reduced to these past couple weeks.
I’m now at the end of my quarantine, technically, and yet symptoms linger on. Kind of like a taunt. A slap in the face of the healthy, smart things I’ve done to stay well, get well fast, and NOT have to carry COVID with me any longer than necessary.
On one hand, COVID made me nervous because of the unknown, particularly in a person such as myself. See, no one really knows what to expect with COVID/Coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2 in a patient with chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, etc. Which is me - I am that person. I’m your fun little “corona with Lyme” joke, which don’t get me wrong, definitely makes me chuckle. And made me REAL nervous to personify.
But I’m here to say I did ok! I believe I’m truly through the thick of it, and I’m happy to walk you through how this whole adventure started.
I got some cold symptoms first. In fact, I kinda laughed at the thought that they even COULD be COVID-19, they were so generic and subtle. But knowing I had had an exposure and had a job to get back to, I was tested. Then I developed complete loss of taste and smell. Then shortness of breath started occasionally, and I was definitely fatigued - I felt like I could never get enough sleep. Headaches joined the fun - nearly daily - and some debilitating. Throw in some intense, keep-you-up-all-night leg pains, and I was starting to feel like a Lyme flare mixed in with a dose of Coronavirus. Who knows if that’s what it was. To me, it honestly was just a bunch of annoying symptoms thrown into the mix, but within a couple days they were resolving.
Thankfully I’m almost completely better now, 2wks later. I’m just left with persisting, and sometimes worsening, shortness of breath. I can’t talk well for long, or do much around the house because of it. It only goes away with rest and some serious huffing. As a nurse, I promise I’m really good at knowing if it needs medical attention. AND I’ve got a LOT of healthcare professionals and parties with a vested interest checking up on me almost daily. But I can’t be released to work and I certainly can’t fully get on with life until I can breathe well again.
All that to say, you have NO idea how grateful I am for the tools I have to help me manage recovering, symptoms, and allll the “joys” of COVID-19. Yes, it involves a slew of vitamins and supplements. It also involves intentional usage of essential oils, detox methods, and clean eating to fuel my body to fight.
To discuss a few basic tactics I used to fight, here's a non-exhaustive list. :) I eliminated sugar, upped my antioxidants and NingXia Red consumption, and took extra/additional supplements to my current regimen (so this list is NOT exhaustive) including Quercetin, high dose Vit C, Vit D, Vit A, Multigreens, Selenium, NAC, Glutathione, Curcumin, and Inner Defense. I used key essential oils in the diffuser and topically to help with support my lungs, support my body to fight inflammation, and to boost my natural immune function. I used detox baths and foot potatoes liberally. (Go HERE for more foot potato info!) I drank PLENTY of water daily.
And knowing this could have gone WAY worse, combining an existing condition with something new and relatively uncharted, I really couldn’t have asked for a much better recovery.
Cheers to not living in fear. To properly caring for our body. And to always ALWAYS being much more than a statistic in this life.
Oh, and if you’d like to start boosting your immune system right now, grab my free guide to 5 Ways I Boosted My Immune System to Fight Lyme (and now COVID too!) to help you get started easily. Be well!
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional here to diagnose, treat, cure, or otherwise influence your medical journey outside of the guidance of a medical professional. I am simply sharing my own journey and what I have learned along the way. Please find a doctor you trust and discuss any medical concerns or treatments with them. Also, please know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through my site at no extra cost to you.
Wellness starts with your WORDS. With what you believe, and how you speak over yourself.
It’s far too easy to hear and believe lies about who we are. We are often told who we are without us even realizing it, and without it even being true. Other people tell us who we are. We tell ourselves who we are. And by the way, this goes for Lyme-ys and non-Lyme-ys alike.
But I don’t believe for a second that we were put on this earth to be mediocre. Nor is any illness, struggle, or personality type the definition of who we are. I hope today I will help you see your value, my friend. Start speaking life into yourself, and then into those around you too. Because, this, my friends, is a HUGE piece of healing and thriving.
In case no one has told you this: YOU ARE NOT LYME DISEASE. You are not a chronic illness. You are not doomed. Those factors in your life that intermingle with your being are not what define you. No medical diagnosis is YOU. No trauma is YOU. No person’s perception of you is actually YOU.
You are defined by YOU. You are light and love. You are hope and truth. These things are IN you already, and there for you to access all day, every day. If your mindset flows to what you lack, negative self-talk, illness, and lies about who you “are,” then you will manifest negativity, dis-ease, lack, and lies instead of manifesting your highest version of yourself, healing, and ultimately truth.
Our words and our thoughts have power in our lives. And if we’ve heard, accepted, and spoken over ourselves mostly negative, destructive lies, then we have to work even harder to fight back against them and shine our light right through them.
It’s up to US to change the script. Every person can be a change agent fighting against flawed mindset. Fighting for truth. Is it hard? Oh absolutely - some days are definitely harder than others when you may already not be feeling well physically, mentally, or emotionally. But it’s also never not worth it.
Our kids deserve it. Our friends and family deserve it. WE DESERVE IT. Living in our truth is living in our highest calling of our created selves. The rest may come and go. You may have things in your life you wish weren’t there. But YOU are not defined by your circumstances or situation. I see you in your light and love. I choose to be light and love. We stand together for truth.
Try this - tell me who YOU are in the comments! Let’s start changing the script we speak over ourselves right now! I’ll start...
I’m a warrior and a strong vector of light. I bring hope and healing to the world around me. I choose healing and aligning with my highest self to bring glory to God and to honor my created being and my Creator with all that I am.
If this post resonates with you, make sure you’re plugged into the Lyme-y & Crunchy community HERE. One piece I’m passionate about bringing to that platform is mindset work, and you won’t want to miss out!
Want to actively fight back and fortify your body’s natural immune system powers and move toward healing!? Check out my free Guide to read about some of the ways I did just that!
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional here to diagnose, treat, cure, or otherwise influence your medical journey outside of the guidance of a medical professional. I am simply sharing my own journey and what I have learned along the way. Please find a doctor you trust and discuss any medical concerns or treatments with them. Also, please know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through my site at no extra cost to you.
To maximize our health, we are a gluten and *mostly* dairy free household here. I love to create EASY, fast, nutritionally dense food, and I also prefer to batch cook it too when I can. Since I work evening shifts as a nurse, there are just some nights I'm not around to cook. While the Hubs does a GREAT job managing the home too, batch cooking - or cooking double+ the amount of food one night so we can eat for a couple meals - allows me to make it just a little bit easier on all of us.
One genre I find easy to batch cook, and flexible on ingredients, is gluten free pasta dishes. Add in seasonally fresh/garden fresh ingredients, some kind of meat/protein, and VOILA! Quick, nutritious, one pot fuel for the fam! AND kid approved too!
I have a pot large enough to just barely cook 2lbs of pasta at once, so that’s where I start. We need that much for our family of 6 to eat this meal at least 2x. So take whatever your family size would normally eat and plan to at least double it for this! The quantities are VERY flexible here. The goal is to use what you have, don’t overthink it, and keep it both tasty and healthy (I’ll help you with that!). Grab your biggest pasta pot and let’s go!
Summertime One-Pot-Wonder Pasta
~2lbs gluten free pasta of choice - penne and fusilli are recommended (we love Aldi’s options!)
~1-2 med zucchini, cut in bite-sized chunks
~1 lg or 2 sm tomato(es), cut in cubes
~2-4 generous handfuls of baby spinach
~Any other seasonal veggies you choose! Some suggestions: onions, asparagus, squash, beets, broccoli, etc! You really can’t go wrong here!
~Meat of choice. I use anywhere from 1-2lbs typically. Sausage is a favorite, but chicken, venison, and ground beef also work great! If you prefer to be meat-free, try some white beans thrown in.
~1 can black olives (optional)
~4Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil!) or any other healthy fat you choose
~Fresh garlic, minced - I think 3 cloves is a great amount! But you do you!
~Additional seasonings as you prefer. Think about throwing in fresh, dried, or essential oil* forms of Oregano, Mountain Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Black Pepper, etc. These herbs not only amp up flavor, but they all have great healing properties too. Keep in mind that the dried version will naturally have the lowest level of healthy constituents left though.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1c of starchy pasta water.
While pasta drains, in same pot you cooked the pasta in, add a few Tbsps oil and meat. Brown in oil. Ideally for this step I’d use ground or cut into bite sized pieces, depending on the meat type, to keep it cooking fast, and to keep cost down. If going meat free, skip this step!
Once meat has browned, add in chopped veggies and saute roughly 3-5min. Do not overcook.
Add in minced garlic and give in a swirl. If using canned white beans, add them here and make sure they are heated through before proceeding.
Toss pasta back into pot and mix with “sauce.” Add olives too, if using them. Add reserved pasta water if needed to keep pasta/sauce moist and help disperse sauce.
Add in herbs/seasoning/essential oils of your choosing. Adjust salt to taste preference.
Voila! One pot, yummy goodness you can eat over a couple days!
*I recommend looking for garden-fresh or organic options for all ingredients here if possible, especially meat and any produce on Dirty Dozen list (found HERE). Minimizing chemical exposure is a key for healing.
*For me, I like to take it easy on the carbs and grains (they just don’t serve my body well right now), so I like to do the toppings for this recipes over roasted spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice for myself.
*Ingesting essential oils may not be for everyone, but our household loves this option. We are VERY specific about using oils in this way, and I cannot endorse ingesting oils whose origin and growing practices are unknown. Please do your own research and take caution with essential oils you are using. While they can have great benefits, they are also very concentrated and powerful. If you’d like to discuss what I have learned and what oils I recommend, feel free to contact me!
If you’re looking for a wellness community for support and information while you heal, I’ve got you covered! Join us HERE!
With chronic conditions, Lyme, and any other time the body is particularly stressed, I find one of the MOST important ways to manage and increase overall health is through diet and gut health. Taking charge of this in my own life, admittedly through baby steps, was one of the PRIMARY ways I finally started to experience increased healing.
This is where working with a Functional Medicine provider can be quite helpful! There’s a reason our Standard American Diet yields the acronym S.A.D. The standard way of eating in our society IS sad. It’s high on inflammatory foods, and low on actual nutrition. This can lead to a whole host of problems within our bodies that may manifest in a variety of subtle or obvious ways.
What are some bodily signs of poor gut health and inflammation stemming from the GI system? This article sums it up nicely!
A healing diet will look very different from what society tells us in acceptable eating habits. Typically, a healing diet will include food that promotes healthy cells, fuels the body, encourages detoxing, and reduces inflammation throughout the body.
To recap the article linked above, our gut has its own microbiome (the organisms living in our bowels, stomach, and digestive tract.) We NEED a balanced microbiome for maximum health throughout our entire body. This includes our immune system functions, mental health and hormone production, and SO much more! I'll keep saying it - the gut is where lots of our health starts, my friends. What we eat, put on, in and around our bodies, and our stress levels and mental state ALL impact our guts and our overall well being.
The 7 signs of an unbalanced gut from the article above include:
~Upset stomach
~A high-sugar diet (I’d go so far as to say ANY processed/white-based foods contribute here!)
~Unintentional weight changes
~Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue
~Skin irritation and rashes
~Autoimmune conditions
~Food intolerances
So what can you do to improve your gut health if you are suffering in that area for any reason? Here are THREE quick changes you can start implementing right away to help!
Start taking high quality pre and probiotics, and consider digestive enzymes as well - do your research to make sure you are getting the best quality possible. NOT all supplements are worth your money, and some can do more harm than good. For probiotics especially, look for a good mix of bacteria strains, and I would definitely recommend Bifido strains especially! Look 'em up - they do some great things for our bodies! Check for colony forming units (CFUs) too, and at least 1 billion bacterial strains is considered most ideal.
Check for food intolerances - ideally working with a knowledgeable provider. But if you are taking matters into your own hands, an elimination diet can pretty quickly tell you if you have food sensitivities.
This is where working with a Functional Medicine provider can be extra helpful, in terms of tailoring dietary changes to your needs and also getting proper gut tests done to help guide you and get you answers, but in the meantime, consider temporarily eliminating the top allergenic foods such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, legumes, and eggs (and possibly even more, such as sugar, grains in general, shellfish, etc...definitely is an individualized approach here, but starting SOMEWHERE is better than not starting at all!)
If you go this route, the key will be to eliminate chosen food(s) entirely for 1-3mo, and THEN, reintroduce by eating just one eliminated food at a time, a few times a day for a couple days before reintroducing another. Keeping a food diary here helps tremendously as well!
Change your diet - consider low inflammatory and gut-health-based ways of eating such as Paleo/Whole30, Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), GAPs, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Ketogenic, Low Histamine, or Mediterranean (and I’m sure there are others out there!). I also recommend you look at what Weston A. Price discusses, and possibly grab the book Nourishing Traditions, written by Sally Fallon. It is my goal to have my household eating this way comfortably at some point (tolerating soaked grains and proper forms of dairy, etc). Every body is different and needs different nutrition, so you will want to tailor a way of eating to YOU.
Changes like these can seem hard, overwhelming, or impossible. But I promise, even baby steps are steps in the right direction! What small changes in each category can you make TODAY to better your health for tomorrow?
If you enjoy baby stepping this health journey as much as I do, here’s my guide to quickly taking charge of your health journey NOW, along with a recipe I think everyone can use! Cheers!
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional here to diagnose, treat, cure, or otherwise influence your medical journey outside of the guidance of a medical professional. I am simply sharing my own journey and what I have learned along the way. Please find a doctor you trust and discuss any medical concerns or treatments with them. Also, please know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through my site at no extra cost to you.
