There are around 300,000 people diagnosed with Lyme Disease per year in the United States. This disease is common in the midwest and northeastern states. In 2015, 95% of the reported cases of Lyme Disease were from a mixture of 14 states, which included New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
“Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.” The most common treatment for Lyme disease has been antibiotics.
According to the CDC, 80-90% of reported cases are considered resolved with the antibiotics, 10-20% of patients go on to develop a chronic form, “which is a persistent and sometimes devastating illness that can harm any organ of the body, including the brain and the nervous system.”
If you know you are going to be out in the woods, it is important to wear insect repelant, check for ticks and remove them promptly if found. Even though precautions can be taken, sometimes things happen and if you find yourself or someone you love with this disease there may be another route to take that does not include antibiotics.
New Research Suggests Stevia Plant Helps Heal Lyme Disease
A study has been conducted on Stevia and the affects it has in regards to Lyme disease. This study was published in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology. It stated that Stevia, which is best known as a sugar substitute, has been found to help terminate late state or chronic Lyme disease.
The researchers examined the antimicrobial effect of four different stevia leaf extracts in comparison to individual antibiotics (doxycycline, cefoperazone, daptomycin), as well as a combination of the three. Lab tests revealed that while “one extract was more potent than the others, likely due to its growing conditions and the agricultural practices utilized, all extracts were effective in treating all forms of the bacteria.” Stevia extract was proven to work against even the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria, known as the biofilm. The most shocking finding was that individual antibiotics, which are supposed to be the cure, actually increased the biofilm.
“Stevia leaf extract has also demonstrated antimicrobial activity against pathogens such as E. coli, S. aureus, Vibrio mimicus, Salmonella typhimurium, S. mutans, Bacillus subtilis, Shigella dysenteriae, and Vibrio cholera.”
The study was conducted by multiple researchers who work in the Department of Biology and Environmental Science at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Connecticut. It was done in December of 2015, and the researchers concluded that “Stevia whole leaf extract, as an individual agent, was effective against all known morphological forms of B. burgdorferi.”
The Spotlight on Stevia
Stevia is best known for what it doesn’t do, like raise blood pressure and add calories to your choosen food intake. There are many artificial sweetners like Splenda and Sweet N’ Low that are produced synthetically. Stevia is derived from a plant, and it is 200 times sweeter when in the same concentration as sugar. It is \ calorie-free and is sucessful at treating other health problems such as diabetes and obesity.
“In 1931, chemists M. Bridel and R. Lavielle isolated the two glycosides that make stevia leaves sweet: stevioside and rebaudioside. Stevioside is sweet but also has a bitter aftertaste that many complain about when using stevia, while rebaudioside is better tasting, sweet and less bitter.”
It is important to find less processed, raw stevia when looking to ingest becuase they have both stevioside and rebaudioside. The reason being that stevia extracts that are processed and take out stevioside don’t leave the consumer with the same benefits.
Be cautious when choosing a stevia sweetener. Stay away from brands like Truvia that contain GMO ingredients and have an extensive process that adds many unnecessary and unwanted ingredients to the stevia.
Green leaf stevia contains both rebaudioside and stevioside. It is slightly bitter, is 30-40 times sweeter than sugar still, and has shown to benefit high blood pressure, cholesterol, weight loss, and even cancer. Now, with this new study there may be benefits to treating Lyme disease as well. What a magical mystery stevia is turning out to be.
The results are in. Stevia is an amazing product that not only can help aid different health problems, but it tastes sweet. Sweet that is sweeter than sugar with amazing health benefits. It can’t get much better than that.
If you are looking for a high quality source of stevia for at home personal use. Shoot me a message on facebook and just say the word ‘stevia’ and i’ll respond with the stevia that I recommend and use. In fact, i’ll send you a 10% off discount code on facebook. You can message me on facebook here. Just write ‘stevia’ and send me a message and i’ll respond with the code. Enjoy!
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/index.html, https://www.livescience.com/39601-stevia-facts-safety.html, https://draxe.com/stevia-side-effects/, https://www.healthspiritbody.com/lyme-disease-treatment/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/hebam/249894925
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