123 of 124 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Healing Lyme, August 13, 2005
This review is from: Healing Lyme: Natural Healing And Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis And Its Coinfections (Paperback)
In this original and meticulously researched book, Stephen Buhner sets out to explain Lyme disease, currently the most common vector borne disease in the USA and a serious emerging health threat throughout the temperate world. The first part covers the life cycle and ecology of the causal spirochaete bacteria; disease symptoms and pathogenesis and a discussion on conventional and alternative treatment options. In the second part he gives a detailed, evidence-based description of two herbal protocols he has developed for different stages of infection.
Healing Lyme covers a huge amount of well-referenced technical, scientific and herbal information. The result is a book that is important for health practitioners, sufferers of Lyme disease and anyone interested to know more about it and the risks of catching it. It is also important for epidemiologists concerned with emerging diseases, and ecologists and microbiologists interested in organism-organism interactions. Some of it is dense; an inevitable consequence of the depth of coverage. However, it is written in a style that for the most part keeps it readable and enjoyable for expert and layman alike. The book is searingly honest and this is necessary: at the outset Buhner describes the extent of misinformation about the disease presented to the public and published in medical and scientific texts.
The opening chapters describe the pathogenic spirochaetes (of which there are several species) and their tick vectors. He presents evidence to support the view that infection can occur independently of vectors; that it may be transmitted directly between humans, and that other vectors exist including mosquitoes. It is clear that the pathogen is undergoing rapid evolutionary change and adaptation.
The disease can be severe, the symptoms often go unrecognised and it is difficult to treat, particularly in late stages of infection. Although antibiotics can be effective, Buhner points out that they do not work for some people; they are frequently ineffective for late stage infection and there is a high rate of relapse. This is not an illness to be disregarded by the medical profession.
There is a fascinating section where symptoms are described and then explained in relation to Lyme pathogenesis. This provides valuable insight into why patients may present with complex symptoms; why progression of the disease differs between individuals, and why accurate diagnosis and treatment of different stages of infection are critical. On this last point, for instance, he explains that although Astragalus is an effective herb for early stage infections it may exacerbate the condition in late stage because of the spirochaete's effect on the immune system.
The second part of the book focuses on two herbal protocols which can be used separately or in combination with conventional antibiotic therapy. The recommended herbs are described in detail including constituents, functions in Lyme disease, specific indications, how the herbs are used in different Western and Eastern herbal traditions, scientific knowledge about the herb, potential side effects, safety of use, contraindications and ethnical considerations about collection. The aim is to provide all the guidance that is required for anyone, health practitioner or layman, to effectively treat the infection. These chapters also provide a comprehensive reference for anyone interested in plant medicine; some of the herbs described include Astragalus, Japanese knotweed, Cat's claw, Smilax and Eleuthero.
In my judgement, Healing Lyme, is an important and timely contribution to the knowledge about this serious and complex health threat. The book demands a wide audience.
Stephen Buhner is a highly respected herbalist, psychotherapist and author of 10 books. He has previously developed herbal and alternative protocols for the treatment of Hepatitis C (published in 2001) which are successfully used worldwide.
Fran Giaquinto was a research microbiologist for 22 years. She has published 21 scientific papers on biological diversity and symbioses in peer-reviewed journals and is named inventor on 4 patents.
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120 of 122 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Physician Recommended, You will learn more than you ever wanted to know, but you also get weapons to fight this disease!, May 25, 2006
This review is from: Healing Lyme: Natural Healing And Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis And Its Coinfections (Paperback)
As a physician who works primarily in Preventive Medicine, I find myself meeting people almost everyday with vague multi-system complaints that have come and gone, got worse and better (but steadily, with each episode felt more sick), and played dectective, searching for causes, because it could *never* be one thing that caused so many organ systems to run amuck! Lyme disease can mimick almost any disease from Multiple Sclerosis to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to rheumatoid arthritis, and many infected patients are thought to have psychiatric problems. Mr. Buhner's excellent and highly educational book dives deep into the "expert system" that a stealth pathogen such as the Lyme spirochete develops to hide itself from our immune system, and to use our immune system to create inflammation that creates it's "food". He makes an excellent case for cooperative treatment between alternative healthcare providers who can provide the absolutely necessary specific immune support (and not the immune stimulation that will undermine recovery) which will reduce herxheimer reactions and make antibiotic treatment *much* more effective. The content of his book I would estimate to be about 20% bibliography, 80% explanation and direction. Doctors will need it, patients can muddle through it and find it tremendously helpful, and if as a patient you are determined to avoid antibiotic treatment, or your doctor refuses to treat you, this provides a rational protocol. Bravo for Stephen Buhner, this book is brilliant! Dr Tedde Rinker [...]
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93 of 95 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Lyme Reading, August 9, 2005
This review is from: Healing Lyme: Natural Healing And Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis And Its Coinfections (Paperback)
If you have Lyme or are concerned about getting Lyme, this is the book you must read. One of the continuing problems with Lyme is the difficulty in getting legitimate information about the disease organism and, more importantly, treatment interventions that are grounded in science - and this includes antibiotic regimens. Stephen Buhner's work in this book is tremendously exact, very deep, and backed up by hundreds of clinical trials and studies. The information has been there but no one, until now, has taken the time to put it into usable form. Buhner has written the first comprehensive work on the Lyme spirochete, its modes of transmission, and the subtle alterations is causes in the body during infection. The book is worth the price for this material alone. But he follows that up with a sophisticated herbal protocol to treat and prevent the disease and its coinfections. The herbal information is astonishing. Buhner's analysis shows how the herbs in the book counteract the subtle physiological shifts caused by the Lyme spirochete, especially striking is the way Japanese Knotweed interferes with the spirochete's ability to initiate MMPs in the body through the exact pathways the spirochetes use.
The book is highly usable for those with Lyme and practitioners who treat it. The protocols are clearly outlined in boxed sections so that the more complex parts of the book do not need to be read for healing to begin. Sources for the herbs are listed in the resource section.
This is the first book I have seen that truly does reveal the complexity of the Lyme spirochete and details a truly intelligent regimen for treatment, a treatment that can be used along with antibiotics or alone. The book is also heavily referenced in a separate section for those who want to see where the author got his information. Unlike other, guesswork books, this is not a "let's make it up" book of natural healing but a deeply researched and strongly foundationed book that can help the scores of thousands of people with Lyme disease. It is a must get for anyone affected by the condition: those with Lyme, their families, and all practitioners who treat it.
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