Class description for AHG class on Lyme disease
Presented by Brendan Kelly, L. Ac. M. Ac, Herbalist
May 2020
Understanding and Treating Lyme Disease: Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine
One essential understanding in treating Lyme disease is that things change. Using Chinese medicine disease progression theory, we’ll discuss how an initial tick bit can lead to a wide range of symptoms including pain, headaches including migraines, gastro-intestinal issues, fatigue and late-stage neurological Lyme. We’ll also talk about how understanding the progression of the condition is essential to not only treating symptoms but also preventing Lyme and promoting health. We’ll discuss using western herbs, diet and lifestyle to treat the numerous symptoms associated with Lyme. Brendan will also present case studies from the hundreds of Lyme patients he’s worked with to discuss his experience treating the condition from very early through advanced stages. He’ll will also discuss how the progression of Lyme disease mirrors the progression of climate change.
Class 1: An introduction to Chinese medicine, including Yin/Yang theory and our connection to Nature. Discussion of the philosophy of medicine and. the importance--therapeutically and ecologically--of integrating local western herbs and Chinese medicine. An overview of the current national statistics about Lyme and how it’s reaching epidemic levels. Also an introduction to the progression of Lyme disease and it’s direct connection to climate change.
Class 2: More in-depth discussion of the progression of Lyme, including the specific development of fevers, pain, hormonal issues including night sweats, gastro-intestinal issues, tiredness, brain fog and neurological issues including migraines, tremors and dizziness. Also discussion of how all of these symptoms are specifically interconnected. Introduction to Chinese medicine’s School of Heat/Bing Wen which developed to treat epidemics.
Class 3: Continued discussion of tbe School of Heat/Wen Bing and its application to treating Lyme disease. Use of western herbs, diet and lifestyle to treating heat. Also discussion of the role of dampness/phlegm in the wide range of Lyme symptoms, including brain fog and gastro-intestinal issues. Beginning discussion of the treatment of dampness/phlegm and its associated symptoms with western herbs, diet and lifestyle
Class 4: Continued discussion of dampness/phlegm and it’s treatment. Also discussion of the diagnosis of internal wind and Chinese medicine’s neurological tradition, the Wai Ke and the treatment of late-stage neurological Lyme with western herbs, diet and lifestyle. Case study about treating patients with Lyme diagnosis, including those with late-stage neurological symptoms and additional discussion about the Lyme disease and climate change connection.
Recent video of Brendan talking about the progression of Lyme. https://personalasecological.com/lyme-disease-the-chinese-medicine-approach/
An article written by Brendan about the connection between Lyme and climate change. https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/blog/yin-yang-lyme-disease-climate-change/