Looking at Lyme: Recent Episodes
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
Looking at Lyme is an educational podcast created by the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, designed to increase awareness and empower listeners with expert knowledge. Join host Sarah Cormode as she explores various perspectives about Lyme disease and its impact on human health. Throughout the series, we will learn alongside doctors, entomologists, geneticists, community leaders and other experts. Come learn how to stay safe in the outdoors!
Dr. Neil Nathan is a physician and author, and has practiced medicine for over 50 years in the areas of family medicine and pain management. In part 2 of our podcast with Dr. Nathan, he talks about Bartonella, helpful strategies for treating tick-borne illnesses, resources for a deeper dive into the diagnosis and treatment mold, Lyme disease and multiple chemical sensitivities. We’ll also get a sneak peak into his new book that addresses causes and solutions for the growing problem of increased sensitivity.
Dr. Nathan explains that, although Bartonella is often overlooked, it is the nastiest and hardest tick-borne infection to treat. Because it is the “third in line” of the three most common infections, it often doesn’t receive as much attention as Lyme and Babesia. Dr. Nathan points out that Bartonella is as common as Borellia in ticks from his region, northern California. Some of the common symptoms of Bartonella are pain on the bottom of the feet, vibrational perceptions or tremors, and intense anxiety, depression or a feeling of hopelessness. Beyond the symptoms themselves, Dr. Nathan notes that the increased intensity of a patient’s experience is often an indicator of a Bartonella infection.
- Read the full show notes for this episode, part 2
- Listen to part 1: 49. Mold, Lyme and Bartonella with Dr. Neil Nathan
Dr. Neil Nathan is a physician and author, and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, and the International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness (ISEAI). He has practiced medicine for over 50 years including 30 years treating patients with chronic complex illnesses, and 20 years treating patients with Lyme disease. He has written several several books about chronic illness, mold toxicity and other environmental illnesses, Lyme and energetic diagnosis. He joins us from Northern California to explore the foundations of mold toxicity, Lyme disease and other infections, and the impact they have on our cells and our nervous system. This episode is part one of a two part interview.
Throughout his career, Dr. Nathan has observed that certain illnesses don’t fit neatly into medical models. While working at a pain management center in the 1980’s, Dr. Nathan and his colleagues saw many patients with what was once called fibrositis, and is now known as Fibromyalgia. Because diseases such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia were poorly understood, many of these patients were referred to psychiatrists, and given medications that didn’t work.
With better understanding of the biochemistry of Fibromyalgia and CFS, better treatments were discovered. Over time, though, those treatments became less effective, leading doctors to explore other contributing factors such as Lyme disease. Many patients who weren’t responding to treatments for Lyme disease were also found to have mold toxicity. With the increase in patients presenting with these problems, Dr. Nathan decided to take matters into his own hands and learn all he could about Lyme disease and later, mold toxicity.
- Full show notes
- Dr. Neil Nathan, MD
- DNRS
- Books by Dr. Nathan
In this episode from Season 3, Sarah explores how the brain functions with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. Dr. Jill was working as a neuroanatomist, teaching and conducting research at the Harvard School of Medicine when she experienced a severe hemorrhagic stroke. After recovering from that stroke, Dr. Jill wrote about her experience and has travelled the world giving inspirational talks, including one of the first TED talks to go viral! She describes that fascinating experience in her first book “My Stroke of Insight” and joins us today to talk about what she refers to as “Whole Brain Living”, which is also the title of her new book.
Posttraumatic growth is not only the topic of this podcast from Season 2, it is also the process that birthed the Looking at Lyme podcast. Sarah explores posttraumatic growth with Dr. Richard Tedeschi, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of North Carolina, faculty member of the Posttraumatic Research Group and distinguished chair of the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth.
Dr. Tedeschi and his colleague, Dr. Lawrence Calhoun, have been working in this area since the 1980s and have developed the academic theory of posttraumatic growth. As psychologists, the pair were interested in finding out what makes people wise, and interviewed people who had experienced either physical disability or bereavement. They found that these individuals had gained wisdom and experienced positive changes in their lives in the aftermath of their traumas. A decade into this work, they coined the term posttraumatic growth to describe this process.
Read the full shownotes.
Dr. Cornish is an integrative functional physician working at the Amen Clinics. She was introduced to chronic Lyme disease when working with a patient who was not cured by a short course of antibiotics. The patient, a landscaper who presented with a bullseye rash followed by ongoing Lyme symptoms, had been labeled as a “drug seeking” patient. This caused Dr. Cornish to ask the question, “Who in the world drug-seeks antibiotics?” After joining a medical practice in a Lyme endemic area, Dr. Cornish learned about the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), and eventually became a Board member.
While CT and MRI scans of the brain examine the function and anatomy, Dr. Cornish explains that a SPECT scan, a single photon emission computerized tomography scan, looks at brain activity and blood flow. She explains that areas of the brain that have less blood flow or activity appear almost like “holes” on a SPECT scan. These changes can be caused by toxins, head injury, Alzheimer’s, Lyme disease and other infections.
Although SPECT scans alone are not diagnostic of Lyme disease, scans can be used to figure out what questions to ask. Dr. Cornish looks for areas of inflammation and “scattered early activity”. Later in the disease process, the activity may be less scattered and may take on a scalloped appearance with decreased blood flow, indicating brain inflammation. The scan, along with a physical exam and detailed patient history help a physician determine differential diagnoses. Dr. Cornish notes that brain inflammation can be caused by a number of toxins such as mold, Lyme, and other tick-borne infections.
Read the rest of the show notes!
Today we're flashing back to an interview on outdoor education. In this podcast, Sarah reaches Mike Horembala in the Foothills of Alberta. Mike, known to his students as “Mr. H’, is a Vice Principal and teacher with a passion for the outdoors. He developed a program within the Foothills School District called “Go Wild,” where students can learn about the outdoors while earning credits. Students participate in day trips and multi-day expeditions...hiking, canoeing, kayaking, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing amongst many other outdoor activities. They’ve even gone on an eco-tourism adventure to Belize! We’d have to agree with Mike when he says “pinch me” - what a great opportunity for students and educators alike!
Read the original show notes! Learn more about our Educators' Resource.
Interest in meditation has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and is now practiced by millions of people worldwide. In this podcast, we find out how meditation can help people throughout their health challenges and beyond. Nicholas Arsenault is an outdoor educator who discovered the healing power of meditation through his own journey with Lyme disease, and is now drawing on what he has learned to help others.
Nicholas turned to meditation in order to address the mental health component of Lyme disease. He wanted to be able to direct his own healing process, become grounded and shut out the noise associated with Lyme disease. His meditation practice began when he met Jeff Warren, a meditation teacher from Toronto, Canada. After guiding meditation for several years, Nicholas enrolled in meditation teacher training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield with the intention of better navigating his own life and eventually helping others.
- Read the show notes!
- Meditation video
When we sense danger, our limbic system causes us to react in order to stay safe. This system can become impaired, causing a reaction even when we are no longer in danger. In this podcast, Annie Hopper explains limbic system impairment and shows us that the limbic system can be retrained, moving us into a state of rest and repair.
Annie Hopper is a limbic system rehabilitation specialist and founder of the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS). She is also author of the book Wired for Healing: Remapping the Brain to Recover from Chronic and Mysterious Illnesses.
- Read the full show notes
- The Brain That Changes Itself, Dr. Norman Doige
- Limbic system impairment self-assessment survey
- Living DNRS program
- Lyme related success stories
- Learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System
Summer camps are in full swing and fall education programs are on their way! CanLyme’s Educator’s Resource is the perfect companion for all educators, including parents, who want to learn how to prevent Lyme disease and keep children (and themselves!) safe in the outdoors.
The Educator’s Resource is free to download on the Looking at Lyme website, and is full of activities and projects to help kids learn about ticks, and how to prevent and recognize Lyme disease. It’s all about learning, having fun and staying safe in the outdoors!
Also check out these Looking at Lyme podcasts, where experts in outdoor education and risk management share their tips on how to prevent and manage tick bites in outdoor education programs and in the wilderness.
Fasten your seatbelts! In this podcast, Dr. Patrick Porter takes us on a journey into our brains, and shares with us his cutting edge technology aimed at improving our lives through brainwave technology. Dr. Porter is a researcher, educator, author and creator of technologies that use light, sound and other strategies to improve brain function and performance. He has written several books including Awaken the Genius: Mind Technology for the 21st Century.
- Read the rest of the show notes!
- Health practitioner education grants
Our fourth season of the Looking at Lyme podcast is on its way! We’re gearing up to start exploring some new avenues and opportunities for learning and healing. When it comes to healing, science is showing us that our minds and bodies operate as one system and need to be studied and treated that way. Our physical and mental health are directly impacted by what is going on in our brain and nervous system. Neuroscience is proving that the opposite is also true, and this is good news indeed! Techniques that improve the function of our brain and nervous system can improve our physical health and mental health. In season four, we’ll explore some of these modalities along with other resources aimed at healing. See you soon in season four!
That’s a wrap for season three of our podcast!
As we prepare for some time off from production, we’ve started accepting applications for our education funding.
If you’re a healthcare practitioner that is looking to advance your education and have a better understanding of Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, please take a look at our education granting process.
If you know a healthcare practitioner that might benefit from an upgrade, please share our education funding opportunities with them.
Thank you, and thank you so much for listening!
CanLyme is currently offering education grants for Canadian healthcare providers caring for patients with vector-borne illnesses. ILADS educational opportunities enable clinicians to better understand the fundamentals of treating Lyme and associated diseases and many of the more complex issues associated with these diseases. If you are a healthcare provider or know of one who would like to learn more about vector-borne illnesses, grant application and information can be found at lookingatlyme.ca.
Read more!
Sarah explores the latest advances in Lyme disease treatment with Dr. Kim Lewis, a researcher, author, University Distinguished Professor and director of Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northeastern University in Boston. He specializes in molecular science and is currently researching persister cells that lead to tolerance to antibiotics, uncultured bacteria of the environment and the microbiome and the search for new drugs. We’ll find out what role nature plays in all of this important work.
Dr. Lewis became interested in studying Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease, when he realized that some people who had been treated for Lyme disease did not fully recover and went on to experience chronic Lyme disease.
Read the rest of the show notes.
In today’s podcast, Sarah speaks with Victoria Sanderson about her exciting new research into Lyme disease testing at the University of Guelph. Sanderson is a current medical student and previously completed her Master’s degree at the University of Guelph and became interested in Lyme disease after seeing how much the disease impacted her mother’s life and the lives of so many others. Having an acute interest in biology, she started to study Lyme disease and quickly became fascinated with its complex microbiology and pathology. She connected with the G. Magnotta Lab at the University of Guelph where she works with a team of world class researchers. You can find out more about the G. Magnotta Lab in this episode of the Looking at Lyme podcast.
Read the full show notes.
In today’s podcast, Sarah speaks with Maddie Gravelle about her research into the consequences of illness uncertainty for Lyme disease patients. Maddie is a student and researcher at Queen’s University in Kingston. She shifted her research focus from cancer to Lyme disease after witnessing the challenges her mother faced in dealing with both of these diseases. Her mother noticed that some aspects of Lyme disease were more challenging when compared to similar aspects of dealing with cancer. When Maddie discovered that there was very little research regarding the psychological effects of Lyme disease, she decided to make that her research focus.
Maddie describes four different types of illness uncertainty that patients can be faced with as described in Mishel’s Illness Uncertainty Theory. She points out that many Lyme patients are faced with uncertainty in the areas of diagnosis, ambiguity around the disease, unpredictability and complex healthcare experiences. She highlights some of the many uncertainties that Lyme patients are faced with, not only in relation to the complex and unpredictable nature of the disease, but also as a result of “complex healthcare experiences” that many Lyme patients deal with.
Read the show notes
In today’s podcast Sarah explores Lyme carditis with Dr. Adrian Baranchuk, a cardiologist from Kingston, Ontario. Lyme carditis is inflammation of the heart and can cause lightheadedness, palpitations, fainting, chest pain and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can be fatal. Dr. Baranchuk tells Sarah he has now seen 16 patients with Lyme carditis. He met his first patient when a physician in a nearby hospital requested transfer of a young 14 year old patient with something called AV block, a disruption of the electrical pathway that stimulates the heart to contract.
The young patient had a life saving temporary pacemaker inserted, and the transferring physician mentioned that she had sent blood work for Lyme disease. This prompted Dr. Baranchuk to investigate something called Lyme carditis and question whether antibiotics might resolve the heart block and prevent the need for a permanent pacemaker to be inserted in this young patient. He did initiate antibiotics, and within one week, the patient had a completely normal electrical system in his heart. The temporary pacemaker was removed, and his cardiac stress test showed normal results.
Read the rest of the show notes.
In this episode of Looking at Lyme, we go to Augsburg, Germany to learn about diagnostic testing with Dr. Armin Schwarzbach, MD, PhD.
Dr. Schwarzbach is a specialist in laboratory medicine and infectious diseases, having worked in the field for over 20 years. He recalls one of his patients who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and tested positive for a test that was then called a lymphocyte transformation test for Borrelia burgdorferi even though she subsequently tested negative for antibodies to the bacteria. The patient had not responded to previous treatment for her MS (with steroids) but recovered after being treated for Lyme disease.
“The TickPlex was developed because…we saw together with professor Gilbert that there are persister forms…we said why should we not test for these persister form antibodies…and that was a breakthrough because we found around 98% now with a persister form of antibodies.” - Dr. Armin Schwarzbach* Get the full show notes and resources * Coinfections checklist (PDF) * Heading to Finland to find ways to accurately diagnose tick-borne diseases
Join Sarah in today’s podcast as she explores everything ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) with Dr. Amy Offutt. Dr. Offutt is the medical director and co-owner of Heart & Soul Integrative Medicine in Marble Falls, Texas, and is also an ILADS board member.
Dr. Offutt made the shift into integrative medicine in order to better understand and care for patients that were experiencing chronic inflammation, often caused by underlying infections. This path led her to ILADS, where she found an abundance of educational resources along with experienced practitioners to help further her knowledge and better serve her patients. Dr. Offutt recalls her first ILADS conference and the common desire amongst practitioners to be able to help patients heal and become stronger.
In this episode we discuss ILADS membership, better outcomes through education and the ILADS 2021 Conference, infection, immune response, and inflammation.
- Get the full show notes
- 2021 ILADS Conference
- Heart & Soul Integrative Medicine
- ILADS
Welcome back to the Looking at Lyme Podcast... here we are in Season 3! In this episode, Sarah explores how the brain functions with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. Dr. Jill was working as a neuroanatomist, teaching and conducting research at the Harvard School of Medicine when she experienced a severe hemorrhagic stroke. After recovering from that stroke, Dr. Jill wrote about her experience and has travelled the world giving inspirational talks, including one of the first TED talks to go viral! She describes that fascinating experience in her first book “My Stroke of Insight” and joins us today to talk about what she refers to as “Whole Brain Living”, which is also the title of her new book.
“If people realize that all they had to do was quiet the noisy left language centres in our left hemisphere, then they too could find this peace.” - Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor* Read the show notes, Looking at Lyme * Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life * TED Talk: My stroke of insight
On season three of Looking at Lyme we'll meet a cardiologist who has developed a new protocol for diagnosing and treating Lyme, we're going all the way to Germany to learn about blood testing for Lyme disease, and don't miss out on our interview with a world renown brain scientist who had a massive stroke then studied her recovery. Welcome back!
- See our show notes and website
- Index of previous episodes
Thank you so much everyone for joining us for season two. We had the privilege of speaking so many amazing people this season, including Dr. Vet Lloyd, Dr. Betty Maloney, and Dr. Theoharides, and with outdoor educators like Mike Horembala and Lauren Hudson.
If you haven't checked it out already, please check out our Educators' Resource. Our Second Edition is finished and available for download.
We love hearing from our listeners. Please send us your ideas and questions!
We’re on a break but we are getting ready for season three and we want to share our excitement with you. We have so many new excellent interviews lined up and will continue to dive into the science with leading experts.
Stay tuned, and see you after the summer. Remember, check for ticks after outdoor adventures and stay safe in the outdoors!
Read the show notes.
This week Sarah is joined by Dr. Shelley Ball, an evolutionary ecologist, fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and Founder and President of Biosphere Environmental Education, a social enterprise focused on connecting people with nature. She was also a founding member of the inaugural Homeward Bound Women In Science Leadership Expedition to Antarctica. In this episode, Sarah and Dr. Ball discuss her newly-published book: Lyme Disease, Ticks and You: A Guide To Navigating Tick Bites, Lyme Disease And Other Tick-borne Infections.
Dr. Ball became involved with Lyme disease as a person suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. Dr. Ball did as much research into Lyme as she could...she is a former research scientist, university professor and self-proclaimed “knowledge sponge.” Self-education and advocacy is vital due to the current lack of support from the public health care system for Lyme disease patients.
Get the show notes and resources.
We are excited to give away ten free tick removal kits, courtesy of CanLyme! Pack this in your backpack or in your first aid kit and take it on adventures with you. All you need to do is tag us in a photo on Instagram having fun and saying safe in the outdoors. Our Instagram handle is @canlyme_canada. #StaySafeInTheOutdoors
Episode show notes.
This week Sarah is joined by Gina Valles, a fitness coach with a degree in exercise science who founded Gina’s Total Fitness in Connecticut. In 2018, Gina was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which changed her life and outlook on fitness. Through her Instagram account, which has almost 180,000 followers, Gina shares her journey, workouts, and inspiration.
Gina explains that she lived with undiagnosed Lyme disease for a year in 2017 before being diagnosed. She knew nothing about the disease then, but has educated herself and learned how to adjust her exercise routine and manage on a day-to-day basis. Gina was a competitive athlete throughout her life, and when she got sick she had to adjust her workout routines to focus more on lower intensity movement and listening to her body. She emphasizes that it took time, trial and error to find a fitness routine that works for her.
Get the show notes and resources.
We have a book giveaway! In episode 31 we interviewed Dr. Kenneth Bock about his integrative approach to medicine. You can enter to win Dr. Bock’s recent book, Brain Inflamed, by following us on Twitter: @Lookingatlyme_
Many patients with Lyme disease and co-infections such as Bartonella experience the effects of inflammation in the brain and central nervous system. One of the chapters of Dr. Bock’s latest book, Brain Inflamed, is dedicated to the effect of Lyme disease and co-infections in the brain. He explains that infections, stress, toxicants and brain trauma can all cause inflammation of the brain. Some of the symptoms familiar to Lyme patients are decreased memory and word finding difficulties.
Read the show notes.
In this episode, Sarah speaks with Rossana Magnotta, who established the G. Magnotta Foundation in honour of her late husband, Gabe, who passed away after a courageous battle with Lyme disease. The G. Magnotta Foundation leads scientific research into Lyme disease at the University of Guelph in Ontario.
Rossana tells Sarah that Gabe was an avid outdoorsman who spent much of his life camping, hunting, and fishing. When he developed symptoms including balance issues, eye problems, and memory loss, he was tested for everything from Alzheimer’s to ALS, before finally being tested for Lyme disease. However, the Canadian Lyme tests came back negative.
This experience echoes the stories of so many other Lyme patients who are shuffled between different doctors and specialists, with no answers. Rossana emphasizes how difficult this experience can be for families as well.
Even when Rossana insisted to her husband’s doctors that Gabe was an avid outdoorsman and that she believed he had Lyme disease, she was dismissed because of the negative tests. When Gabe’s blood was sent to the US for testing, the results were positive. But at that point, they had lost precious time and he never recovered.
Having worked in hematology, microbiology, and biochemistry, Rossana was able to investigate Canada’s ELISA test (a two-tiered serological test), the apparent “gold standard” test for Lyme disease. Rossana explains that when she dug into it, she realized it was faulty, as it only measures a narrow immune response rather than identifying whether the person has an active infection or not and whether Borrelia is the causative agent of the illness.
The test is still not a reliable indicator for doctors. With determination, Rossana set out to develop a reliable and trustworthy test to support doctors in diagnosis and consequently early treatment. From this painful experience, the G. Magnotta Foundation was born.
Get the show notes and resources.
CanLyme is excited to kick off May which is Lyme Awareness Month! In this episode, we introduce a Canadian tick map designed by Justin Wood. Justin is the CEO and founder of Geneticks laboratory in Ontario, where he tests ticks from across Canada for many tick-borne pathogens.
For the past several years, Justin has been planning and developing a platform to share his tick data from across Canada. By removing identifying information and applying a degree of randomization to his data, he is able to add information to the map including tick species, lifestage, pathogens detected, location, and type of host the tick was found on. This data can be retrieved in various ways depending on the interest of the reader. For example, if someone is only interested in finding out about Blacklegged ticks, that data can be explored by applying a filter which excludes other types of ticks.
Get the show notes and resources.
In this episode, Sarah is joined by Dr. Joseph Jemsek, an infectious disease physician who runs the Jemsek Specialty Clinic in Washington, DC. Dr. Jemsek has been on the leading edge of both the HIV and Lyme disease epidemics. He became intrigued by reports of a small cluster of patients with outbreaks of Kaposi Sarcoma and Pneumocystis pneumonia in New York and San Francisco. He intuitively felt that this was an indication of something much bigger.
He recalls diagnosing the first HIV patient in North Carolina in 1983, before the disease was even called HIV. In the years that followed, the virus was identified, tests were created and treatments were researched, including an early study for azidothymidine (AZT) which Dr. Jemsek co-authored. This pioneering research study allowed patients access to this early treatment, clinical trial involvement and medical follow up.
Get the show notes and resources.
In today’s podcast, Sarah is joined by Jim Wilson, founder and President of CanLyme — the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation. After contracting Lyme disease 30 years ago in Nova Scotia, Canada, Jim dedicated his time and energy to improving the lives of Lyme patients and their families, helping to bring a balanced perspective of Lyme disease to the forefront. Jim began to question the understanding of Lyme disease when his daughter and several others were diagnosed with Lyme disease in British Columbia, despite the perception that Lyme disease was only prevalent in the eastern United States. He notes that even now, patients are having to seek out answers to questions about Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment that remain unanswered within the current medical system.
Since its inception, CanLyme has helped to educate both the public and physicians regarding Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. CanLyme supports Lyme disease research and has raised the public profile of Lyme disease for the general public through media and within various levels of government.
Get the show notes and resources.
Sarah explores an integrative approach to medicine with Dr. Kenneth Bock from the Hudson Valley, in New York. Dr. Bock’s natural curiosity, investigative approach, along with his appreciation for complex medical cases set the foundation for his integrative practice. His first Lyme patient in 1985 initially came in with a swollen toe that didn’t seem to have a medical cause. After a thorough investigation which included researching Lyme disease, he discovered that the patient had travelled to Block Island, an area known to be endemic for Lyme. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with Lyme disease and was successfully treated.
Dr. Bock explains that his “medical detective” approach involves breaking down problems, then putting that information back together to solve problems. He also emphasizes the importance of looking and listening, open ended questions during patient interviews, and spending plenty of time with patients.
Get the show notes and resources.
Posttraumatic growth is not only the topic of today’s podcast, it is also the process that birthed the Looking at Lyme podcast. Sarah explores posttraumatic growth with Dr. Richard Tedeschi, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of North Carolina, faculty member of the Posttraumatic Research Group and distinguished chair of the Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth.
Dr. Tedeschi and his colleague, Dr. Lawrence Calhoun, have been working in this area since the 1980s and have developed the academic theory of posttraumatic growth. As psychologists, the pair were interested in finding out what makes people wise, and interviewed people who had experienced either physical disability or bereavement. They found that these individuals had gained wisdom and experienced positive changes in their lives in the aftermath of their traumas. A decade into this work, they coined the term posttraumatic growth to describe this process.
Read the full show notes and get the resources.
Sarah discusses the use of neural therapy for pain management with Dr. Kumar Biswas, a Canadian naturopathic doctor on Vancouver Island. Developed in the early 1900’s in Germany, neural therapy is now practiced across Europe and North America. Dr. Biswas explains that biological medicine, which is practiced throughout Europe, integrates alternative medicine and modern medicine. While modern medicine is based on diagnosis, biological medicine is based on functional physiology, and aims to understand and correct imbalances in the body. He further explains that functional medicine has developed in the US in recent years as a marriage of the art and science of medicine.
Neural therapy was developed in Germany. Local anaesthetics were injected into various structures in the body, including parts of the autonomic nervous system, to bring regulation to the body. Dr. Biswas explains that procaine is not only a local anaesthetic, it also balances or upregulates nerves by normalizing their charge. He elaborates that interference fields occur with changes in tissue due to things like surgery, piercings, tattoos, traumas, infection and inflammation. A surgical scar can cause an interference in the electrical, physical and energetic flow within the body. He explains that changes can occur in the direction of charge within the autonomic nervous system, and that an injection can help bring balance back into that process. Dr. Biswas points out that these treatments are not yet considered conventional medicine, although some medical doctors and anesthesiologists in Canada and the US have been trained and are using the techniques.
Read the show notes and resources
In today’s podcast, Sarah explores Lyme disease from a nursing perspective with Nurse Practitioner Dr. Ginger Savely. Dr. Savely has specialized in the treatment of patients with tick-borne illnesses for the past two decades, and has authored and co-authored many articles in nursing and medical journals. Now living in Washington, DC, she first started researching Lyme while living in Texas, when her 16 year old daughter became very ill with the disease. Dr. Savely later became quite ill with the disease, eventually leading her to make it the focus of her own practice. She notes that many healthcare providers research and specialize in the Lyme after experiencing a personal encounter with the disease, which is much more complex than many other infectious diseases.
Read the show notes
Today we explore one of the many ways the CanLyme Educators’ Resource can be put into action. In this podcast, Sarah reaches Mike Horembala in the Foothills of Alberta. Mike, known to his students as “Mr. H’, is a Vice Principal and teacher with a passion for the outdoors. He developed a program within the Foothills School District called “Go Wild,” where students can learn about the outdoors while earning credits. Students participate in day trips and multi-day expeditions... hiking, canoeing, kayaking, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing amongst many other outdoor activities.
Mike describes outdoor education programs as an antidote to “Nature Deficit Disorder,” a term coined by Richard Louv based on our disconnect from the natural world. Mike notes that not only do behaviour issues seen in the classroom often fall away when kids get outdoors, but those kids are likely to become leaders in the outdoor environment. He also sees outdoor adventure as a way to foster a sense of curiosity and independence. Balancing these incredible learning opportunities with rigorous safety protocols and processes is something Mike takes very seriously. In his classroom, the safety protocols themselves serve as valuable learning tools that students will retain as they become independent outdoor enthusiasts.
Show notes and resources
We turn our gaze northward to Thunder Bay, Ontario to chat with entomologist Dr. Ken Deacon. While working on a contract with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, he saw the first wood tick in the Thunder Bay area in 2003. He then saw the first black-legged tick in 2005 and has continued to follow the progression of their habitat expansion.
He points out that ticks can now be found in northern areas where they never existed in the past, and sees this as a clear indicator of climate change. Not only are the ticks living further north, they are also surviving through the winter. He has observed fluctuations in northern tick populations which appear to coincide with winter temperatures and snow cover. He notes that milder winter temperatures along with a deep insulating layer of snow give ticks a much better chance at surviving the winter.
Read the full show notes.
In the words of Optometrist Dr. Cameron McCrodan, “you don’t see with your eyes, you see with your brain.” What is the relationship between the eyes, the brain and some symptoms of Lyme disease? Dr. McCrodan explains that our brains are not only tasked with receiving visual stimuli, they also influence how the information is interpreted and how our eyes function. Although these topics were touched upon during his optometry education, his engineering mindset drew him to further explore this relationship between the eyes and the brain. As his knowledge expanded, he found that some of the symptoms his own family members were experiencing could be explained in this way, and his own practice evolved to embrace what he was learning and seeing in his own practice.
Show notes and links
Sarah explores the latest research on astrocytes, gut bacteria and neuroinflammation with scientist and medical researcher Dr. Francisco Quintana. Dr. Quintana is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He describes some of the causes of neuroinflammation including infection, tumours and auto-immune disease. So what does all of that have to do with astrocytes?
Astrocytes are a type of glial cell found in the central nervous system. These cells were first described over 100 years ago and were given their celestial name because they are shaped like a star. Even though they are the most abundant type of cell in the brain, Dr. Quintana points out that we are just now beginning to understand their function. One of the important functions of the glymphatic system is in regulating the movement of fluids in and out of the brain. Once seen as having more of a supportive role in the brain, astrocytes are now understood to help regulate inflammation - an important finding in the study of diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimers and Parkinson’s disease. In fact, Dr. Quintana states that the astrocytes can, “boost and drive inflammation and that’s very important because, so far, we have no therapies to actually suppress those pro-inflammatory activities.”
Read the full show notes
Join us for a candid conversation with Ironman athlete, Angela Naeth. Angela contracted Lyme disease in 2018, the same year she completed the Ironman race in Kona, Hawaii. Born in Prince George BC, and now living in Massachusetts, Angela has had to continually adapt and evolve in order to optimize both her own health and her performance as an athlete. She describes the learning curve that many Lyme patients are faced with in trying to navigate this complicated disease. After seeing many doctors and finally receiving a Lyme diagnosis, she had to research various treatments and be her own advocate to receive treatment. One of the added challenges throughout this process was that she appeared healthy but felt extremely unwell.
“I went to so many different doctors, and it was so difficult because I was the epitome of health on paper, but yet I was dying inside.” Angela Naeth, Professional Triathlete and Coach
Read the full show notes
Sarah is excited to announce a new Educator Resource for Lyme disease, and speak with the lead resource developer, Lauren Hudson. Lauren is an educator and parent with a passion for science, life and for going into nature with her students and her family. She took a deep dive into the world of Lyme disease to help develop an educator resource to help other teachers both learn and teach about ticks and tick-borne illnesses. Lauren recalls her own journey of learning about tick-borne illnesses from members of the Lyme Education Awareness and Prevention (LEAP) team, through her own research and by listening to the podcasts in Season 1 of the Looking at Lyme.
Lauren helped develop the Educators’ Resource as a tool to empower teachers to learn and teach others about ticks and tick-borne illnesses. The resource consists of three modules along with three activities per module and numerous slides and images to compliment the written material. The initial resource covers information about ticks and how to identify them, what people need to know before and after going outdoors, as well as the basics of Lyme disease. She points out that it can be used not only by educators in schools, but also in other settings such as outdoor education. It has also been designed to be accessible to diverse ways of learning and different learning styles.
Read the show notes
Get the Educator Resource
What can employers do to protect staff who work in the outdoors? In today’s podcast, Sarah explores some answers to that question with Tim Tchida, Owner and CEO of Summit Reforestation in Smithers BC. When Tim first heard about Lyme disease, he never imagined getting the disease himself. Tim recalls first learning he had Lyme disease after receiving a positive Canadian Lyme test (western blot) following mild symptoms of the disease. As time went on, he realized how fortunate he was to receive a diagnosis in light of so many others who have found it very challenging to receive a Lyme diagnosis in Canada.
Tim acknowledges those who may go for years or even decades, seeing multiple physicians simply to receive a correct diagnosis. He believes that international labs such as Armin lab in Germany, are able to provide more accurate and appropriate testing. Unfortunately, Tim soon came to realize that many physicians did not acknowledge how serious Lyme disease and co-infections can be. As a consequence, he was unable to receive adequate treatment in Canada, and sought treatment in both the United States and Germany, which to date has cost him over $300,000.00. Although grateful to have the resources to seek treatment outside of the public health system, he points out that many people are unable to do so.
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This week, we are very excited to speak with one of Canada’s foremost tick and Lyme disease researchers, Dr. Vett Lloyd, who heads up a dynamic research team at Mount Allison University in Sackvillle, New Brunswick. Her curiosity, passion for community and collaboration and sense of humour have endeared her to her colleagues and her community.
Dr. Lloyd recalls her initiation into the world of Lyme disease when she removed a black legged tick from her shoulder after doing some gardening. She contacted her local public health department and was informed that there were no ticks in New Brunswick. She sent the tick to be tested, but when she followed up with public health, she was told that because there were no ticks in her area, they had disposed of it. Fortunately, Dr. Lloyd received advice from colleagues in western Canada and sought treatment for the symptoms of Lyme disease which followed the tick bite. It was after that personal encounter with Lyme disease that she shifted her research in molecular biology from cancer to studying ticks.
Although most of us cringe at the idea of receiving ticks in the mail, this is how Dr. Lloyd starts a typical day in her lab. She is currently working on a community science initiative in which people send ticks they find on themselves or preferably on pets or other animals. Her research team tests the ticks for various pathogens, a process which takes about two weeks. She notes the importance of ensuring ticks are dead before mailing them, and recommends placing them in the freezer for several days prior to shipping. For shipping, Dr. Lloyd also recommends placing the ticks in two containers, noting that the containers found in the CanLyme tick kits work well for that purpose. Dr. Lloyd requests information about the geographical location of the tick collection and an email address from the sender so that she and her team can notify the sender of the test results.
Read the full show notes and related resources
As Dr. Maloney says, “Research is our way out of this.” This is our kind of expert leading the way in the field. In today’s podcast, Sarah explores a comprehensive (and free!) online education program designed for healthcare professionals, which was founded by Lyme disease expert, Dr. Betty Maloney.
Dr. Maloney became interested in Lyme disease when she realized that what she was seeing in her medical practice did not align with her medical training and scientific education. This led her to apply her clinical skills, listen carefully to her patients, and eventually help educate other physicians regarding Lyme disease. It inspired her to support patients through her work with the Minnesota Lyme Association.
- Read the rest of show notes
- Lyme CME (free, evidence-based, AAFP-accredited courses that physicians can trust)
- Economic Impact of Lyme (Zhang et. al., 2006)
- Health Care Costs, Utilization and Patterns of Care following Lyme Disease (Adrion, Aucott, Lemke & Winer, 2015)
Welcome back to Season 2 of the Looking at Lyme podcast. Buckle your seatbelts, because we are going on a science adventure with Dr. Theoharis Theoharides, Professor of Immunology at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. Dr. Theoharides has been on the leading edge of mast cell research and recounts the fascinating history and physiology of mast cells. Mast cells have existed for over a hundred million years in many different animals and organisms and are found in all body tissues, including the brain. Mast cells are found in worms, fish, lizards; however, these species do not get allergic reactions. So why are mast cells associated with allergic reactions?
Dr. Theoharides explains that mast cells became associated with allergies in 1947 when it was discovered that they contained histamine. He describes the activation of mast cells during anaphylaxis as the sudden release of about 50 molecules from inside these cells, followed by a delayed release 6-12 hours later of further, newly synthesized molecules. He reflects on his earlier research showing that the release of these molecules can also occur, not only with allergies, but also due to many pathogenic, environmental triggers (for example, mold), and stress hormones. He notes that triggers such as Borellia or mold can cause the release of only cytokines (not histamine, or tryptase) from the mast cells. Dr. Theoharides also explains that when mast cells are “primed” with interleuken 33, followed by stress hormone release, the mast cells can release more pro-inflammatory cytokines than any other type of immune cell. This massive release of cytokines is referred to as a “cytokine storm”.
- Read the rest of show notes
- Molecular Immunopharmacology & Drug Discovery Laboratory
- Recent Publications from the Theoharides Lab
Well that was fun! And did we ever learn a lot from season one. We feel very fortunate to have interviewed so many incredible doctors, scientists, journalists, and educators. It was a really interesting year to deepen our understanding about tick-borne illnesses. We're at the end of season one, and we'll be back with season two in 2021.
We've just released the first draft of a teacher resource. Please share it with any educators or guides that you might know.
Thank you for your support. Stay safe in the outdoors!
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Educators' Resource, 2020
www.lookingatlyme.ca
In today’s podcast, Sarah talks about ticks, Lyme disease and climate change with investigative reporter Mary Beth Pfeiffer. She lives in New York State, an area of the US which is highly endemic for Lyme disease, and has been investigating this disease for the past 8 years. Her search for answers revealed that there was not only a denial from the US CDC and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) regarding what patients were telling them about Lyme disease but also a disdain for this patient population. Mary Beth describes how her own book, Lyme: the First Epidemic of Climate Change, evolved out of her interest in Lyme disease and her passion about climate change. Mary Beth describes some of the research that shows how tick populations are migrating into both higher altitudes and latitudes (northward into Canada).
Read more: show notes
In today’s podcast, Sarah examines the importance of adequate training in wilderness first aid skills. She speaks with expert Michael Crawford, an instructor at Slipstream Wilderness First Aid in Victoria, BC. Michael points out some of the differences between regular first aid and wilderness first aid. Anyone performing first aid on a patient in a wilderness setting will likely need to care for them for a longer period of time than in a city situation. It is also important to know and differentiate between which health issues need to be addressed immediately and those that can wait.
In the courses, he emphasizes the importance of prevention to avoid potential health risks. Michael advises outdoor leaders to teach participants a daily tick checking routine in order to reduce their risk of contracting Lyme disease. This training includes knowing what ticks look like at different stages of their life cycle and where they are more likely to attach on humans.
Read more: show notes
In this podcast, Sarah speaks with Steve Smith, an expert in outdoor risk management. Steve has worked for many years teaching, leading, planning, and consulting about ways to manage risk in the outdoors. Steve recently presented at the 2020 NOLS Wilderness Risk Management Conference.
Steve begins by explaining the difference between safety and risk management, and why this distinction is necessary when it comes to taking people into the wilderness. Every day we take risks and some degree of risk is not only unavoidable, it’s a necessary part of being human. Sarah and Steve discuss many of the benefits of how outdoor education and recreation translate to life skills, personal and social growth. Steve speaks about the history of Outward Bound and founder Kurt Hahn who taught about the importance of educating the whole student and encouraging them to explore beyond their comfort zones. It is an important component of developing and managing outdoor education programs, looking at the beneficial risks and identifying and mitigating the undesirable risks.
Read more in the show notes.
In this episode Sarah talks with Canadian researcher Dr.Leona Gilbert, originally from Thunder Bay, and currently living in Finland. Dr. Gilbert tells us about an interaction with a patient that led her to focus on testing for Lyme disease. She points to research showing that patients who suffer from long term effects of Lyme disease often test positive for multiple microbes.
Tickplex is a diagnostic kit that tests for six different forms of borrelia, ten other forms of microbes as well as antibodies which correlate to three different disease stages - all in one test! Dr. Gilbert explains the benefit to this method (also known as polymicrobial theory) over testing for one microbe with one antibody at a time. She points out that many long time sufferers of Lyme disease and co-infections are unable to build an adequate immune response to these microbes, but with treatment their immune system starts to respond and is then able to create antibodies. Research is also showing that outcomes are much better for those patients who are diagnosed early, tested for multiple microbes and then treated. She also talks about how multiplex testing is identifying patients who are “shining up” due to a hyperactive immune system.
Read more: show notes
In this episode Sarah talks research, Canadian research that is, with Dr. Melanie Wills. She is the Director of the G. Magnotta Lab at the University of Guelph, conducting research and studying the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of Lyme disease. She became interested in researching Lyme disease while working on her PhD, when her own health history intersected with her research interests. When a doctor suggested she may have symptoms of Lyme disease, Dr. Wills agreed that her symptoms were similar, but she had been tested, and Lyme disease had been ruled out. At the doctor’s recommendation, she explored further into the disease and the testing for it. When she realized that the research around Lyme disease was inadequate, her career moved toward helping to fill that gap while at the same time incorporating her PhD and her lived experience with the disease. Dr. Wills recalls how conversations with fellow researcher Vett Lloyd, Jim Wilson (CanLyme President) and the G. Magnotta Foundation resulted in the collaboration behind the lab located at the University of Guelph.
Dr. Wills talks about their research examining the different forms that Borrelia (Lyme bacteria) can adopt, including round bodies and biofilms, and what role they have in the expression of the disease. She is also looking at how a person’s genetics and the genetics of the bacteria might play a role in how the disease is expressed. Dr. Wills points out that the body’s reaction to the bacteria can cause an excessive inflammatory response, and how that may differ from person to person. She also describes their research study which looks at peoples’ experiences with Lyme disease including their interactions with the medical system.
One of the other exciting areas of research in her lab is the development of a new diagnostic tool for Lyme disease. Dr. Wills takes us into the science and history behind the current Canadian testing protocol and explains some of the shortcomings of this protocol in terms of immune response and the inability to rule out ongoing infection using these tests.
People with chronic Lyme can’t help but notice the many similarities between Lyme disease and COVID-19. Dr. Wills has been working with researchers at Mount Allison University to study the chronic complications of COVID-19. Studying these symptoms and comparing them to Lyme disease may help to determine which systems in the body may be involved for both diseases. She tells us about other research happening now that may help us to understand what is going on with a certain population by looking at genomes.
Dr. Wills shares a vision for advances in research in Lyme disease, including more collaboration between researchers and points out that the political landscape is currently hampering such collaboration. She is also concerned that, because Lyme disease has been inaccurately framed as a disease that is easily treated, there has been little interest in funding better treatments and research. Despite all of the challenges Dr. Wills has had to manage both personally and professionally, she believes that we are up to the challenge of finding better solutions in the future. Thank you so much Dr. Wills for all the hard work you are doing to help improve the lives of people with Lyme disease!
Show notes
G. Magnotta Research Lab
In this episode, Sarah hears from Alexis Chesney, a naturopathic physician in Vermont who specializes in Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. She is also author of the book “Preventing Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases”. Alexis became interested in Lyme disease when a previously healthy friend and colleague developed many mysterious symptoms which turned out to be caused by Lyme disease.
Dr. Chesney describes some of the treatments she has found effective over the years including antibiotics and herbal medicines. She also explains a Herxheimer reaction, a worsening of symptoms, which is caused by toxins that are released when bacteria die off. She describes how she treats patients who are experiencing a Herxheimer reaction, including herbal medicines, diet and hydration. Dr. Chesney examines some of the other tick-borne diseases that she sees in patients including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Bartonellosis. She notes that Bartonellosis can also be caused by flea bites and cat scratches.
Dr. Chesney shares her experience about some of the herbal treatments available for Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, touching on the other forms that Lyme bacteria take including the round form and biofilm. She cites a book by Stephen Buhner as well as other resources available for those who are interested in herbal treatments.
Dr. Chesney tells us why she decided to write a book about preventing Lyme disease, and how living and working in an endemic area made her more passionate about prevention. In her book she provides pictures of different kinds of ticks, so that patients and practitioners are able to correctly identify ticks and understand which diseases they may carry, and describes in detail many ways people can prevent getting a tick bite in the first place.
Dr. Chesney shares with us a bit about her own practice, including collaborations over the years with an herbalist, medical doctors and currently a nurse practitioner. She points to the different roles practitioners have in a patient’s care, including primary care physicians and specialists such as neurologists and cardiologists. Finally she reiterates the importance of prevention and of adequate early treatment, to prevent the chronic symptoms of Lyme disease. Thank you Dr. Chesney for sharing your experience and expertise with us!
Dr. Alexis Chesney
Buhner Healing Lyme Q & A
Blue Crow Botanicals
Show notes
In this week’s podcast, Sarah speaks with Dr. Thomas Moorcroft, a physician from Connecticut who specializes in Lyme disease and Lyme-related infections. He explains what co-infections are and differentiates between infections that are contracted from a tick bite, and concurrent infections that people with Lyme disease may experience. During the 2020 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) conference, he presented several cases of known tick bites in which individuals tested positive for 3-5 different pathogens. He explains the implications of having more than one infection on disease expression and test accuracy.
Dr. Moorcroft talks about Bartonella, a co-infection of Lyme disease that can be transmitted not only from ticks, but also from fleas, lice and bites or scratches from cats - hence its other name “Cat scratch disease”. He explains some of the symptoms of Bartonella, including sudden behaviour changes in groups of children after a lice infection has gone through their classroom. Beyond some of the unusual symptoms of Bartonella infection such as foot pain and muscle fasciculations, Dr. Moorcroft points out the often debilitating cognitive effects of the disease. He gives some pointers on clinical signs helpful in the diagnosis of Bartonella, including characteristics of skin changes that occur due to the infection.
Finally, Dr. Moorcroft explains a mentorship program through ILADS, in which physicians, often in Lyme endemic areas, share their clinical knowledge and time with physicians who want to learn more about how to treat Lyme disease and co-infections. He also touches on some of the emerging research that was shared during the ILADS conference, including research showing persistent infection and mental health effects of Lyme disease.
Show notes and resources
Physician Training Program
Grants for healthcare professionals
In this episode Sarah talks about the effects of Lyme disease on the brain with Dr. Shea, a senior staff psychologist, professor and President of Neuropsychological Evaluation and Treatment Services in New York City and Boston. Dr. Shea starts off by explaining many of the effects that Lyme disease has on the brain including the ability to process information, changes in memory, multitasking and high level reasoning. He also explains the importance of understanding the effects on the brain and mental health in terms of what is going on physically to cause these changes. He uses neuropsychological evaluation to measure changes in a person’s cognitive, emotional and behavioural function as a result of Lyme disease. Dr. Shea also notes that results of imaging tools such as a SPECT scan often reflect findings in neuropsychological testing in patients.
We are introduced to the concept of psychoeducation: educating families, teachers, and employers to better support Lyme patients at home, in school and in returning back to work. Dr. Shea gives a few examples of how students can be supported in their learning. He talks about the added social burden that pediatric and adolescent patients experience within their peer groups, and the implications for those patients. Dr. Shea also touches on the challenge that people with dark skin have in getting a diagnosis of Lyme disease in part due to the different appearance of bites and rashes on darker skin tones.
Dr. Shea describes the preceptorship program for physicians through ILADEF, where they are mentored by physicians with many years of experience treating patients with Lyme disease. These physicians (who have treated many Lyme disease patients) have gained a wealth of knowledge and clinical experience that they are able to share. He leaves us with a reminder that much more research is needed in the area of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
Show notes with Dr. Leo Shea
Physician training program
Grants for healthcare professionalsFunding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
In this episode, Sarah speaks with another champion for Canadians living with Lyme, Green MP Elizabeth May. She describes how she first learned about the severity of Lyme disease when speaking to a woman from Pictou, Nova Scotia who required a wheelchair for mobility. After moving to British Columbia, Elizabeth met others who were experiencing life-altering illness due to the tick-borne diseases. She was frustrated to learn that these patients were dismissed and told there was no Lyme disease where they lived. Elizabeth was determined to develop a Private Member’s Bill to address Lyme disease in Canada after meeting so many people who were struggling to regain their health and find treatment for Lyme disease within our borders.
Private Member’s Bill C-442 , An Act Respecting a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease, passed unanimously through the House of Commons in June, 2014 and the Senate in December, 2014. Bill C-442 was the impetus for the Conference to Develop a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease, which was hosted in May of 2016. This conference brought together patients, family members, advocates, physicians, researchers, public health officials and Lyme disease experts with the intention of creating a federal Lyme disease strategy. As a result of the Conference, 4 million dollars were set aside for Lyme disease research in Canada. Elizabeth explains that, although it was her intention to help people who have become chronically ill with Lyme disease, much of that grant money hasn’t gone in the intended direction.
Elizabeth outlines the need for physicians to become better educated about Lyme disease, so that when patients come in with symptoms of Lyme disease they can start treatment right away, avoiding further health effects from the disease. She points out that when patients cannot access the healthcare they require in Canada, they often will travel to the United States to get it there. With the expansion of ticks in Canada due to climate change, Elizabeth points out that unless needed changes take place, the problem is only going to get worse.
Elizabeth would like to see a change in attitude regarding Lyme disease, along with updated education about Lyme disease, including looking at what other countries may be doing to address the disease. She would also like to see further public health changes in response to Bill C442. She points out that there are many MP’s that are also passionate about this issue due to the overwhelming number of their constituents that come to them suffering with Lyme disease and unable to get the treatment they need. Finally, Elizabeth leaves us with a vision for the future where there is better awareness, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and breakthroughs in research that will get people out of wheelchairs and back to their full life.
Show notes with Elizabeth May
Private Member's Bill C-442
Conference to Develop a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease
Grants for healthcare professionalsFunding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
In today’s episode, Sarah speaks with veterinarian Dr. Joe Bloom to find out more about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, and how they could affect our pets. Dr. Bloom works in an endemic area of the United States and sees many dogs with Lyme disease in his practice, explaining signs and symptoms that dogs might experience. He also describes the different kinds of tests he uses to diagnose Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in dogs.
Did you know that some dogs can have Lyme disease but not show symptoms? Dr. Bloom explains how further testing can help determine how the Lyme bacteria is affecting your dog in ways that may not be visible.
Dr. Bloom mentions some of the medications currently available to repel and kill ticks on pets. He also gives his recommendation for tick removal and follow up when a tick is found embedded on your pet, highlighting areas that ticks are more likely to be found. Finally, Dr. Bloom points out that tick bites can occur during the winter, especially during warmer spells when ticks become active. Thank you Dr. Bloom for showing us how to keep our pets safe in the outdoors!
Show notes with veterinarian, Dr. Joe Bloom
Grants for healthcare professionalsFunding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
In this episode of Looking at Lyme, Sarah speaks with Internal Medicine Specialist and Canadian Lyme expert, Dr. Ralph Hawkins. Dr. Hawkins has been treating Lyme patients in Canada for many years, gaining a wealth of knowledge about the disease. He recounts his introduction to the shortcomings of Lyme disease testing in Canada while treating a patient with a history of multiple previous tick bites, many common symptoms of Lyme disease, but a negative Canadian Lyme test. Dr. Hawkins had the patient’s blood tested at a University Lab in New York, revealing test band patterns consistent with Lyme disease. He referred this patient to Infectious Diseases colleagues for treatment, but quickly found out that the diagnosis of late stage Lyme disease is not generally recognized by the Infectious Diseases community. He was advised to not only drop this case, but to avoid other similar cases. The recommendation to avoid such patients sparked Dr. Hawkins’ curiosity and interest, inspiring him to dive deeply into the research and history of Lyme disease.
Dr. Hawkins walks us through the current testing protocols for Lyme disease in Canada, explaining why some patients with Lyme disease receive a negative test result. He explains the difference between current testing in Canada and tests done in other parts of the world, highlighting a test done in Germany that he often relies on when diagnosing patients, and touching on the approval process for such tests by Health Canada. Without better testing, Canadians with Lyme disease continue to fall through the cracks of the healthcare system. Dr. Hawkins refers to a recent analysis of Lyme diagnosis in Canada in which researchers speculate that in some areas, two thirds of Lyme cases go unreported. With this in mind he points out that, in light of the severity of untreated Lyme disease, a trial period of treatment for Lyme disease would be valid for certain patients with negative Canadian serology. Thank you Dr. Hawkins for walking with us down the bumpy road of Lyme disease testing and treatment in Canada!
Article by Health Canada researchers regarding under-reporting of Lyme disease in Canada
Article by Ralph Hawkins and Vett Lloyd regarding under-detection of Lyme disease in Canada (PDF)
Funding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
Show notes and additional resources
In this episode, Sarah interviews an Infectious Disease Physician who has treated Lyme patients in the US state where Lyme disease was first identified - Connecticut. Dr. Sam Donta has gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise treating Lyme patients for almost 40 years. As a result of his expertise, he was appointed as one of 14 members of the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, established by the US Congress in 2016.
Dr. Sam Donta emphasizes the importance of early treatment for Lyme disease, noting that as time passes, the disease becomes much more difficult to treat. He discusses some of the challenges with diagnosing the disease in the absence of a typical bullseye rash. Due to limitations of the current testing protocol, patients can have a negative Lyme disease test but still have the disease. Dr. Donta emphasizes the importance of doing an in-depth patient history in order to make a clinical diagnosis and shares some of the insights he has gained through decades of treating Lyme patients. He cautions that stopping treatment before patients are fully recovered may lead to problems later on.
Finally, Dr. Donta looks to the future, pointing out the need for more research to improve testing and guide treatment. Thank you Dr. Donta for spending time with us and sharing your expertise on Lyme disease!
Funding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
Show notes and additional resources
In today’s podcast, we start to explore Lyme disease in children. Sarah welcomes her father, Dr. Ted Cormode, to the podcast. He understands Lyme disease both as a pediatrician and as a parent supporting and advocating for his child. Dr. Cormode talks about his experience as a parent when Sarah first became ill. In medical school, he did not learn about Lyme disease so he spent the next years digging deeper into medical research.
Dr. Cormode walks us through some of the unique challenges of understanding Lyme disease in children. He describes an interesting case study of a child who became ill following a camping trip. The child had not received a diagnosis or treatment for Lyme disease, but her symptoms cleared up after being given antibiotics after the surgical removal of her tonsils. When the short course of antibiotics was completed, the child’s symptoms returned. Another course of antibiotic treatment was ordered and Dr. Cormode is happy to report that many years later, the patient has remained in good health.
For children and adults alike, knowing a patient over time can help a family physician determine when symptoms are out of the ordinary for that individual. Dr. Cormode also discusses three case studies recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in which three patients with signs and symptoms of Lyme disease did not receive an early diagnosis and developed serious complications.
Finally Dr. Cormode gives us a few tips on how to prevent Lyme disease to keep ourselves and our children safe in the outdoors. Thanks for sharing your insights with us Dr. Cormode!
Funding available for physicians to attend the ILADS conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
Show notes
In this episode, Sarah speaks with Dr. Bruce Hoffman, a Functional Medicine physician from Calgary. Dr. Hoffman describes Functional Medicine and explains how numerous factors influence a patient’s health. He highlights the importance of taking an in-depth patient history to understand and document symptoms. This helps determine whether a patient might have other underlying health concerns that may need to be addressed.
Dr. Hoffman explains that there are several approaches to treating Lyme disease. He gives us insight into why there is such a variety of symptoms amongst patients with Lyme disease and describes how symptoms often wax and wane over time.
Did you know that many Lyme patients experience a phenomenon called mast cell activation syndrome? Dr. Hoffman explores some of the triggers for mast cell activation and emphasizes the importance of looking out for this syndrome especially in patients with chronic illness. He also explains the importance of addressing other underlying issues.
Funding available for physicians to attend ILADS Conference
Grants for healthcare professionals
More about this episode
In this episode, Sarah speaks with Canadian entomologist Janet Sperling, who specializes in tick microbiomes. Sarah sets the stage with a quick history of Lyme disease, including how it got its name and how long it’s been around. We’ll find out why it’s important to know the different kinds of ticks found in Canada and what habitats they need to survive.
Janet Sperling explains how ticks are able to stay attached for days and how they transmit pathogens to us. Did you know ticks can travel thousands of miles on birds? That’s one of the reasons keeping track of them from year to year can be very challenging. Janet also explains why it’s difficult to know the true number of Lyme cases in Canada.
Janet notes that ticks can live in our own backyard, and gives us some landscaping advice to discourage ticks from our outdoor spaces. Finally, Janet fills us in on some of the important research happening in Canada right now regarding ticks and Lyme disease. Thank you Janet for helping us stay informed so that we can stay safe in the outdoors!
Janet Sperling Bio
Funding available for physicians to attend ILADS Conference
More about this episode
In this episode, Justin Wood takes us deep into the world of ticks. We will find out what makes ticks tick, including their feeding patterns and life stages. We learn about the different kinds of ticks found in Canada, as well as valuable information about how to identify ticks and know which ones can transmit pathogens to humans.
Did you know that many people don’t feel anything when a tick bites? Justin fills us in about how ticks are able to attach and feed undetected, even after several days! We learn about some of the pathogens that ticks carry, including one carried by the Lonestar tick that can cause an allergy to red meat! We also explore the effect of climate change on tick populations in Canada.
So tuck your pants into your socks and dive into this fascinating podcast about ticks. The more we know about these tiny arachnids, the more prepared we are to stay safe in the outdoors!
More about this episode
About Justin Wood
Funding for physicians to attend ILADS
In this episode, we meet host Sarah Cormode and explore Lyme disease through the perspective of a Canadian family physician during her interview with Dr. Liz Zubek.
Sarah draws upon her expertise in education, research and outdoor adventure to explore all things Lyme. She reflects back on her own experience with Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick in her backyard in 2012, then ventures out to speak with a wide variety of experts to better understand this disease. Guided by her own experience with Lyme disease, Sarah reveals a distinctly Canadian perspective of Lyme disease.
More about this episode
About Dr. Liz Zubek