How I Beat Lyme Disease And Its Friends

May 5th, 2019 by Scarlett Olson

Scarlett Olson, founder of SOCO Botanicals Austin, Texas

Lyme, Black Mold, and their Co-Infection Friends

By Scarlett Olson, Founder of SOCO Botanicals

In 2013 I was living in South Austin and was busily starting my skincare business, SOCO Botanicals, singing with a band once a week and loving life. I was working out with a local bootcamp 4 days a week and was in the best shape of my life.

Stress was certainly part of my life, but it was good stress. Overall I was balanced, and living a healthy happy life.

Lyme Ticks, Bullseye Rash and Neurological Symptoms

There were a lot of bugs in the area where we did bootcamp and one day I got several bites. One of the bites on my arm was very itchy and red, and it persisted for about a week. I thought it must be a spider bite or a chigger, since it left 2 tiny black dots on my arm that wouldn’t disappear. I thought it would go away on its own, but it grew into a pink rash and became systemic- as it spread from my arm over to a circular shaped pink rash around my belly button and on both hips. It itched terribly and I went to a dermatologist who suggested cortisone cream but gave no diagnosis. I was not interested in using cortisone- I wanted to figure out the cause.

After about a month, the rash was still persisting and I developed a twitch in my left eye, along with a weird sensation of being withdrawn socially. It was the strangest thing I had ever experienced, as I felt shy and antisocial for the first time in my life. The antisocial feeling seemed to be connected to the rash and the twitching in my eye. I knew there was something terribly wrong.

Many other symptoms developed and I grew very sick. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was related to that bite. I was tested over and over again and saw many doctors and natural practitioners. They all thought I needed antidepressants, since my blood work didn’t show anything wrong, except elevated white blood cells for a short period of time.

I had to take a break from my band, all social activities, and work. I moved out of my house to stay with a friend and wondered whether I would survive or ever be normal again. I felt isolated and just wanted to stay at home all the time, with difficulty doing just about everything: memory, concentration, speaking, and exerting myself for any kind of exercise. I had little motivation to do anything, which was a stark contrast to my normal personality, since I had an extremely driven and outgoing personality since childhood. My feet and legs were painful, and felt heavy like cement bags. Just walking around the house was a chore.

Electra Avellan models for SOCO Botanicals, Austin Monthy review for SOCO Botanicals

The Search for a Diagnosis - Lyme Disease

I experienced many disappointing doctor appointments where doctors told me I wasn't sick, but just needed psychological counseling and antidepressants. I knew I was sick, because I had never felt this way before the bug bite, but the only thing found was elevated white blood cell count. I started looking up my symptoms on Google and Youtube and discovered that my symptoms looked very much like Lyme disease. I had already tested negative twice for Borrelia/ Lyme with the regular blood test, but I was certain that I had it.

*Picture is of the tiny deer tick, most commonly known to cause Lyme disease. 70% of deer ticks in Texas carry Lyme disease

I also figured out through an environmental testing company that the house I was living in had high levels of Aspergillus and Stachybotrus, 2 strains of neuro-toxic black mold.

I had Lyme and Mold Toxicity at the same time, and later found out that Lyme often times causes your immune system to shut down, allowing other co-infections to take root: fungal infections and other co-infections, like Babesia and Bartonella. These bugs partner with each other to take down your immune system so they can thrive. No wonder I felt so terrible!

Lyme Disease Symptoms Vary from Person to Person

My Symptoms:

Joint pain, especially pain in feet when I woke up

Trouble exercising- felt abnormal muscle, heart and lung fatigue and heaviness while exercising.

Terrible pain in joints

Fatigue throughout the day, waking up exhausted even after 10 hours of sleep

I had body aches similar to the flu

Trouble concentrating/ Brain Fog

Pain and pressure in my head, dizziness

Coated white tongue

Night sweats

Intolerance to sugar and carbohydrates- they made the symptoms worse.

Intolerance to alcohol

Extreme light sensitivity

Tinnitus

Psychological Changes: antisocial, social phobia, feeling of paranoia

Mental dullness & Confusion: Unable to follow conversations or understand long sentences. Extreme dullness and inability to concentrate on anything.

Had to quit working, had to quit my band and had a friend take care of me.

Could barely function for at least 6 months, and suffered with bad symptoms for almost 3 years.

Felt separated from myself: what is known as “depersonalization” – when I would look in the mirror I didn’t recognize myself.

Felt like I was in an altered state most of the time & had extreme difficulty coping with normal activities like opening mail, paying bills, etc.

*please note I do not participate in any mind altering drugs whatsoever- all of my symptoms were without influence from any outside substances, not even pharmaceutical drugs- this list is just the symptoms from the sickness

Protocols for Strengthening the Immune System:

Throughout my journey, I learned many things about healing and health. One thing that I discovered is: Don’t just try to kill the Lyme as fast as possible. You must support your body with diet, exercise, probiotics and a positive mental outlook. You also must support your body’s detoxification process and allow yourself to heal while slowly getting rid of the infection at the same time. Here I’ll give you a list of what worked and what didn’t work for me:

What didn’t work:

6 months of Antibiotics & Western Medicine

Colloidal Silver- daily

Expensive Vitamin Drip IV's

Bhuner’s Lyme Book & Protocol- it is an interesting book, but didn’t work for me.

Salt/ C Flush

High dosage Ozone saunas

Juice Fasting

Oregano Oil- Using Jini’s Listen to Your Gut Book: Oregano Oil Protocol & Natren

High doses -10 grams a day of Vitamin C & frequent 25 gram Vitamin C IV’s

Bentonite Clay Detoxes

Daily Fulvic Acid Supplementation

Acupuncture- I am a huge fan of Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs and work with an acupuncturist for just about everything else, but neither the herbs from the best herbalist in Austin nor Acupuncture treatment made any difference in treating my Lyme- It only helped me to feel better temporarily and was very expensive. I did months of Chinese Herbs & acupuncture- but it never healed me.

High doses of Grapefruit Seed Extract Daily

I spent way to much money on doctors, blood tests and supplements I found online. When you're desperate to get better, you'll try just about anything that seems to have promise, but it is a waste of money get caught up in buying everything I read about on Google.

Here’s what I did that made a difference:

Step 1: DENTAL

I got my root canal and all the metal removed from my mouth. I saw Dr. Stuart Nunnally in Marble Falls, who is one of the top dentists in the state and is an expert in removing mercury. His office can do cavitations of the site of a root canal. They do a biopsy of the existing infection, and often find many different strains of super-strain toxic bacteria. These bacteria love root canals because they have a space to live where there is no blood flow to the area. They can thrive there because there are no white blood cells to fight them off. Extremely important: you must have root canals & metal removed properly by an experienced biologic dentist, not a regular dentist. If you don’t you could expose yourself to a worse situation than before. I recommend Dr. Nunnally in Marble Falls.

Step 2: DIET

I realized early on that I felt worse and almost hung over if I ate any kind of starch or sugar. I went on a strict Ketogeic Diet. It takes some getting used to, but if you have Lyme or any fungal problem, it is essential to make the change. All pathogens feast off of sugar & starch, so you must starve them out. You’ll get used to it if you stick with it and don’t cheat.

Step 3: APPLIED KINESIOLOGY

I found an amazing naturopath named Dr. John Bandy, who also suffered and recovered from Lyme and fungal infection in his sinuses. There was not a medical doctor who was able to help me, but Dr. Bandy is extremely knowledgeable and can figure out what the body needs to heal itself. He muscle tested me for Lyme and figured out a supplement plan to get well. I highly recommend him - even if you do remote visits.

Step 4: CHIROPRACTIC CARE

I would not recommend just any chiropractor. I highly recommend going to a NUUCA chiropractor in your area. This type of chiropractic care is different than all the others and can support spinal health, which is the communication system from your brain to your body. If your spine is in bad health, your immune system will be as well. In Austin I recommend Dr. Sweeney of Welcome Back Austin.

teasel root, cure for lyme disease, bartonella, babesia

Teasel Root: Nature's Answer to Lyme Disease

Fortunately with much prayer and commitment to my health I made a complete recovery.

The main two supplements my doctor gave me are Teasel root and Cat's Claw Extract. I purchased the brand Forest Center Herbs and took 1 dropperfull of Teasel and 1 dropperfull of U.D.G (Cat's Claw Extract) 3 times a day. He told me to take this 3 times a day for 18 months and re-test. I was faithful to the protocol as well as the diet, and made a full recovery and tested negative after the 18 months.

Teasel naturally grows in the Northeast, where Lyme disease is rampant. It amazes me that the cure for Lyme disease grows right where the problem is.

Finding the Balance in Life after Lyme Disease

Please note my disclaimer: I am not a doctor and do not make any claims with this article. I wrote this to help you if you think you are suffering with Lyme and want to hear my story. Everyone's journey is different, so if you want to share your story, feel free to reach out to us directly by email.

I'm grateful to all the people I met along the way that led me to my ultimate recovery. I wish you health, prosperity and wellness!

Yours truly,

Scarlett